Topic: Carrots

[Emagggie]

This may seem a daft thing to most but it's getting to me now >:( I cannot seem to grow carrots for love nor money! Anyone got a foolproof method?
I did try sowing them in guttering but germination was poor so I transferred the few I had to a bucket and they are growing. I long for a row of lovely carrots. 4th attempt now, any tips please? (nil germination last attempt ::) )

[cornykev]

I dig a small trench and fill it with potting compost, then get a piece of wood and make a 1/2 inch drill, I then sprinkle the whole packet along the drill and fill it with potting compost and water, I water most days so it doesn't dry out and they were up in 10 to 14 days, thats my way Emaggie, good luck.  ;D ;D ;D

[okra]

I use the same method as Cornykev and the only problem is too many germinating and needing thinning out

[Tin Shed]

I now grow them in raised beds and keep watering. generally do well, but the first sowing this year has been a bit patchy.

[nitiram]

I'm like you eMaggie, can't grow carrots for toffee. Tried cornykev's way of growing last year, still no carrots. Now I have a 100 cell seed tray full of carrot seeds and I am going to try planting out the young seedlings..if they come up that is. Will not be beaten by a carrot... >:( >:(

Joking aside, asking around the lottie site does not seem to grow carrots at all well on any plot so perhaps the ground is just too hostile for carrots..any suggestions as to why?

[dawn34]

we have planted carrots one row isn't doing very well the other row well we have a nice row of carrots, we just plant the seeds no compost just straight in the ground and take pot luck.

[saddad]

Clay based soils like our tend to cap and the seedlings can't get out when they germinate... and the heavy soil means any that do are twisted or stumped by the job of putting down the tap root. It ahs taken me 12 years to gwet successful carrots on this site...
 :-\

[kt.]

Lots of info here:

http://www.allotments4all.co.uk/joomla/component/option,com_smf/Itemid,91/topic,30413.0

[manicscousers]

on the big dig, they were growing carrots and parsnips in blue barrels, we've got ours in raised beds, half full of leaves, then potting compost on top, loads of them have grown, good luck, maggie  :)

[Emagggie]

I hadn't seen the other thread as I've not been about for a week or so.
Thanks for all your replies, I have come to the conclusion that our clay soil is probably to blame as most of the local area has been used as brick fields in the past. So it looks like I should go the way of Corny or Manics. I will persevere. ;)