[fluffstermum]

Our carrot seeds went into a raised bed last weekend. The little blast of 'summer weather' we had was deceiving, but fingers crossed!

[arugula]

And you've missed the segment on ground prep for and sowing of carrots. 

I've not seen beechgrove yet but will catch it tomorrow - hope its good 

Better than week 1.

[viettaclark]

Exactly the same thing as last year has happened.
Carrots sown 3/4 weeks ago germinated beautifully, nice rows of little green seedlings.
Unfortunately the local diddy slugs in the earth didn't like the garlic in the same bed and decided to munch out on gourmet carrot sprouts.
Whole lot (except for a couple of isolated sprigs) decimated!!
I have now sprinkled the blue death and researched a bit. Seems strong coffee high in caffeine deters the big slugs and kills the diddy ones. You can water it round and spread the grounds about too. Also the diddy slugs like to hide in organic matter so leave putting on my own compost till they're more established.
This will be done BEFORE I put in any more seed so my Early Nantes won't be so early......
Should've remembered from last year, eh?

[digalotty]

i dont think using fresh compost on a carrot bed is a good idea

[DD.]

You don't want it in the bed, but on the bed won't hurt as far as roots forking are concerned.

Personally I wouldn't bother!

[viettaclark]

Yup! With hindsight it wasn't necessary for carrots at all but I usually spread a bit of compost around all the beds in Spring. (No manure on the carrots, I must add.......)
A warm duvet for keeping diddy sluggies cosy......

[Carrot Man]

One little tip I found worked for me last year on my allotment, was to make a 2"-3" hole with a dibber, approx. 12"-18" down, approx 6"-8" apart and filled with compost
I then sowed 4 seeds per station and once up, I thinned down to one.
They didn't fork and as they were not competing with other carrots close by, they got all the nutrients provided and I had lovely huge, straight carrots.
It is a similar method to what I use for showing but with less hassle and straight forward
I found when I sowed in a drill, it was more hassle to thing down, I wasted more seeds and I never got a decent quality product.
I believe you may get less carrots but pound for pound you get more carrot.

[Diddy Gardener]

Woohoo! First carrot seedling is showing... exactly two weeks after sowing. I would post a pic but you'd need a magnifying glass  I was starting to get worried so I put one of my flower buckets in the heated propogator to warm the soil up a wee bitty - seems to have worked - much chuffedness 

[Carrot Man]

That's very good and about right
15 to 19 days is good so looks like you done very well
What variety were they ?

[Diddy Gardener]

I think they're Autumn King and Resistafly.