Topic: Disappearing carrot seedlings

[Silverleaf]

My first sowing of carrots is gone. The second a few weeks ago is also non-existent. There's no sign at all that there were ever carrots there, but just yesterday I had 4 squares of seedlings starting to grow true leaves. All but two of my root parsley seedlings seem to have suffered the same fate.

I didn't get great germination in the first place for some of my seeds as they were old, but two varieties were brand new, and the seedlings looked fine.

I've had a little slug/snail damage to most things in that raised bed, but not very much considering my method of control is to thrown any molluscs into the orchard and leave the ones I don't find to the two frogs I sometimes see sheltering amongst the messy pile of old pots by the shed (right next to the carrot end of the bed). I don't see any evidence of slime around the carrot section.

Is there anything other than slugs that could have caused such a complete disappearance?

Obviously I don't want to resow until I know what's going on, no sense in wasting all my seeds feeding pests! If it is slugs, what can I do that doesn't involve poisons (don't want to kill other wildlife) or me physically murdering the slimy little gits (call me soft, but I feel far too guilty when I accidentally step on one to contemplate deliberate molluscicide).

[ancellsfarmer]

Snails?
If you can exclude rabbits,ie no footprints, droppings or "scrabs". then this non poisonous method of organic control is recommended by the Centre for Alternative Technology at  Machynlleth:

 Pick and lay comfrey leaves around the planted bed. Wait three  days and then stamp on them !

[Digeroo]

Slugs?

[small]

I don't think slugs necessarily always leave an obvious trail. I've abandoned my principles and used pellets on my carrots this year (fleeced so at least birds and hedgehogs won't pick up the bodies).  This has resulted in good germination, loads of corpses and a bad conscience. But it's so heartbreaking to see the crop come up and then vanish overnight - I lost a whole row of sunflowers this year, and that was certainly slugs. Beastly things.

[squeezyjohn]

And if you can get hold of it at a reasonable price or salvage some from electrical cabling that's been thrown out ... I will once again defend copper as a fantastic barrier to slugs and snails.  Difficult for a whole row of carrots I know - but it does work every time for me.

[Silverleaf]

I don't think we have rabbits (I used to see one when we first moved here but there's no evidence of them now and we have a lot of cats and foxes), but there are a lot of birds here.

I don't have any comfrey, unfortunately. It's on my wish list but hasn't happened yet.

I'm definitely reluctant to use slug pellets because of the birds, frogs and my dog. My aunt had a dog who died after eating a couple of poisoned slugs, and while I'm sure my old Labrador's never even considered eating a slug it's not worth the risk.

Copper's an interesting idea, and means I wouldn't need to kill anything. I don't know how that'd work with my raised beds, since I grow in blocks rather than rows - maybe stapling copper wire around the top of the wood would work?

I'm planning on removing the grass around the beds (they are in my lawn) because the molluscs shelter in the longer bits, but I'm waiting for him indoors to have chance to tackle it because my back's not up to anything like digging or pulling up grass right now, never mind carting tons of gravel or whatever is best to discourage the slimy pests.

I don't know why on earth they can't just eat the lovely juicy weeds that are all over the rest of the garden instead of eating my veggies.

[mrrigsby]

Same thing happened here. most likely to be slugs, use a beer trap before re-sowing, to confirm. I have to grow carrots under cover because of carrot fly, so can use slug pellets without harming other wildlife. This is worth considering.

[AndersonC]

Same for me - twice. Slugs are suspected so got some nematodes. Posted in the other thread to ask for tips!!

Thanks all.

[George the Pigman]

I have had this happen as well. I sowed the carrots before a cold spell followed by rain. I wonder if it could be damping off? We have had some topsy turvy weather recently.

[juju]

The next time you put carrot seeds mix equal parts of sand and compost with the seeds and a handful of groworganic compost(it smells a lot) put your seed mix together with the seeds in the ground and cover seeds with a long strip of fleece.
Works for us here.i don't think anyone lost their carrots on Rosamound allotments. Do try this method.

[George the Pigman]

Talking to people on our site and others with different soil types in different parts of the Midlands it looks like the last couple of months have been difficult for most people trying to germinate carrots. I think that points to the weather being the most likely culprit. Carrots are notoriously fussy to germinate when it comes to variations in temperature and rainfall.

[Silverleaf]

Yeah, I didn't get great germination with the carrots.

But I'm convinced now it was slugs, after fighting with them for weeks. They've been eating my pea plants, the pests.

I now have organic slug pellets, so let's see what happens with them. I'm certainly not resowing until the slugs get down to more reasonable numbers.