Topic: Chitting/sprouting veg seed

[Garden Manager]

I keep on reading about this technique whereby you get seeds to sprout then sow them and was wondering about trying it out.

I have in the past had trouble getting soil sown veg seed to germinate properly, predominantly peas and carrots, so i was wondering if it was worth trying the technique with these. or if not what veg ARE worth sprouting before sowing?

Thanks

[Garden Manager]

Come on surely SOMEONE  can give me an answer?

[allotment_chick]

Richard - I pre germinate any seed that is big enough - and grow them on in modules (I get mine from the Poundshop and excellent they are too!).  This means I only grow on viable seed.  It's really easy - the process has been described on the boards.  

I haven't pregerminated carrots before but I'm planning to have a go with the vermiculite tip given on relevant thread.

Peas (mange tout in my case) I always pre-germinate - with much success.

My advice would be to get yourself a margarine tub and some kitchen paper and give it a go - not too much to lose!

AC  :D

[Garden Manager]

Thanks AC, just the reply I needed. I will certainly give it a go.  ;D

I am also thinking of doing a few sweet peas like this as well - like they showed on GW a few weeks ago. My traditional method did not work terribly well this year.

[aquilegia]

I've pre-germinated carrots this year. Put them in the ground yesterday. practically all of them germinated. But whether or not they actually grow and produce anything edible is another matter. I'm also going to try some in large pots and compare the harvest.

[philcooper]

Chitting and module planting are 2 different things both aimed at improving the chances of seeds succeeding in the big wide world.

After several failures with carrots and parnsips (the ground being too hot, cold /wet immediately after sowing) I tried chitting by mixing the seed with vermiculite in polybags and them damping the mix. Keep in a cool place and plant out when the tiny white roots are first spotted.

Most other things I start off in modules as I have loads of slugs, this includes,

beetroot, runner and french beans, early peas, all greens

phil

[allotment_chick]

I'm a pre-germinate then transfer to modules fan because, aside from what phil lists, there is the matter of the beasts who nick the seed (and I'm still convinced the ants made off with the carrot seeds last year!) and the clayey/stoney soil I grow on which is impossible to get a fine enough tilth for sowing direct ...... despite years of compost and manure.....
AC x

[philcooper]

I suffer from poor soil too.

The allotment holders around me make a bigger sowing trench than normal and line it with either compost or peat before sowing their seeds, I add the benefit of chitted seed and it seems to work.

[Garden Manager]

Thanks to all for replies. As i said in an earlier reply, I shall be giving 'chitting' a go with the legumes. However I am not sure about the chitting method with the carrots, and am still convinced that my earlier thoughts on module/pot sowing for carrots are valid. Given the long thin nature of carrot roots I am thinking of starting them off in bio degradeable tubes rather than modules or pots so i can plant the whole thing out without disturbing the roots. I have been saving toilet roll inners for just such a purpose  ;D.

Of course another method i might try is the one involving compost in the drills. I have heard about this before and think it is a good idea for any direct seed sowing.

Thanks again