[janeheritage]

Hi folks. Last year beginner veg gardener (me) bunged carrots in. They grew and were yummy. Great!

This year I prepared 2 rows (in a different place, natch) and sowed away at the end of April.

Nothing. :shock:

Tried again at the end of May.

3 carrots. :?

Tried again in June.

Nothing. :x

Was it something I said? Has anyone else had a problem this year?

[vegmandan]

You might have just had a batch of duff seed.

I find that sowing very shallowly about a couple of mm deep and watering every day to keep the soil moist seems to help with germination. :?

[SnooziSuzi]

I've had the exact same problem this year.

Last year I grew mine in a dustbin so that it was higher off the ground and most germinated, but this year only 2 or 3 did out of 3 packets of seed!!!  :shock:

I've put it down to duff seed, perhaps the rain last year prevented many from developing properly.  If that is the case then there's no hope this year either!

[gobs]

First time in my life I sowed a bed of carrots, not a single one of which came up!  I ended up with a nicely tunnel fleeced bed of weeds, which I did not dare to open yet.    Happens...

But that sounds excesssive... I'd try in containers in compost, might well be someone or something in the soil. Saying that, I have some carrots growing amongst the sweet potatoes, where I had a carrot bed last year, that much about old and rottening seeds. As vegman says, barely cover and keep moist.

[BazTheGardener]

Just checked mine today doing OK if not to big but I only through some seed down in late May with a quick rake just before I went on holiday, I had been given seed and had a small two foot square patch in garden. Maybe they are just kind to beginers :?  

BTG

[janeheritage]

At least it's not just me! Thanks all very much.

[Trillium]

It's very possibly dud seed. Carrot seed will keep up to 3 yrs, but in reality, their best germination rate is the first year (newest seed) and the rate drops fast with each successive year.
Also, the temperature and moisture must be just right or they wont' budge. They need warm weather and steady moisture until they sprout.

[fluffybunny]

I had the grand total of 4!  Fortunately I have 4 bunnies so there was one each  :roll:

[Knoblauch]

Stuff I've planted in the ground including carrots, at a pinch of seed for each desired plant location, has only come up in a few of the locations, as though something's eaten it all in the others.  So I've had to move all the seedlings from one little clump to where I wanted the plants instead of thinning each clump.

[jack russell]

my first sowing of carrots 2 rows only a few surfaced in one row so i sewed some more a little thicker and the whole row has come good this time  :roll: as Trillium says it has to be the right conditions

I also have them in barrels the first lot never came but the second did  

keep trying no one said it was going to be easy

[Bombers]

Jack Russell said "I also have them in barrels the first lot never came but the second did

Same Here. I think the ground was  too cold when I planted my first seeds, but the Second/third/fourth rows all germinated fine.

[johnathome]

I planted a whole packet of seeds on 2 rows and they all came up, beginners luck i guess

[janeheritage]

Now as I recall last spring was gorgeous, April warm and hot and sunny, and the bad weather didn't start until May (whereupon it was unrelenting). So maybe last year's early sowing just caught the right conditions.

Thanks again for your advice!

J

[knittywittywoo]

As a total newbie with the idea of ' plant and see what happens ' I planted carrot seeds in the greenhouse in little seed pots at the end of July. A couple of weeks ago I replanted them in the flower bed as I had no room anywhere else. I don't know whats going to happen but they are still growing and looking healthy.

Next year as I have started to read up on what needs planting where and when will probably be not as much fun as this years plant and see what happens. I have spring onions, potatoes, tomatoes, peas and cucumbers growing now, the only fruit/veg I have had yet are tomatoes ( lovely ). Pumpkins are not looking too healthy though. I have only about 5 leaves on them and they are turning yellow. I also have some peppers starting off now too. The fun for me this year has just been seeing plants emerge from seeds, the product will be a bonus.

[Yabba]

As a total newbie with the idea of ' plant and see what happens '

Keep growing new things and that buzz continues

¥