Topic: Carrots 'n fleece

[mc55]

do my carrots need to stay under fleece until they're ready to harvest if I want to beat carrot fly ?  If not, when should I remove - they popped up about 2.5 weeks ago.

I've also got beetroot and parsnips under the same fleece - will it harm them to stay under ? 

Having never grown carrots before, I'm a little uncertain about thinning them.  I've heard that evening is the best time to do it, but is it just like thinning other seedlings, or is there a danger that I could I damage the root ?

Also (last Q !) can someone advise me on how far apart I should thin them to - I've got autumn king, nantes and a small round one (forgotten its name).

Thanks
mc

[supersprout]

Unless the fleece needs to come off, leave it on - it shouldn't harm the plants
Thinning - if you do it early, before you have roots, do it with scissors, snip off the ones you don't want, removing the tops and composting them. The little roots will just wither away, whilst the unsnipped ones will grow on.
I thin Flakkee to about 1" apart, then start pulling odd ones and eating them :P until the spacing gets to 3-4 inches in autumn.

[Roy Bham UK]

This link may be of some help ;)
http://www.organicgardening.org.uk/factsheets/pc17.php

[Mrs Ava]

Well, mine stay under fleece once they are germinated until I pick them (or pull them).  I don't thin mine, I broadcast sow now rather than in rows, and I leave them until the thinnings are useable sized baby carrots.  Then I just lightly take them as I want them.  I don't cover beetroots or parsnips with fleece and they are fine, however having them under fleece will do them no harm at all, so long as you have it loose enough for them to grow.  Parsnip foliage is pretty large when full grown!

[jennym]

The Autumn King can grow pretty big, I'd think 2 or 3" for those if you want them big, but I don't always thin either, and they sort of push each other out of the way and you don't get such huge ones, so it suits me.

[tim]

Emma - when you broadcast, do you rake over or just let them lie??

[Mothy]

EJ,

Do you see an advantage in broadcasting??

Just interested as carrots seem to be a really difficult crop on our allotment  :)

[Mrs Ava]

I rake gently, that is it.  The reason behind my madness is I was lots of carrots - they are the families faves, and I found lots of rows fiddly.  Now I choose my block, create as fine a tilth as I can, water with a rose gently if necessary, sprinkle the seeds all over thinly - on a still day hopefully - then gently rake over.  I then leave for a week or so - oik out weeds, and as soon as I start to see germination, I cover very lightly with fleece.  I did rows at the start of last year covering the drills with potting compost to try and prevent capping, but decided it was so fiddly.  My allotment isn't military straight lines at all, and as fleece comes in wide strips, it seemed daft having rows next to each other, why not use the entire width of the fleece.  Am I making sense or rambling now? 

I do the same now with spring onions and cut and come again lettuce leaves, just in smaller blocks.