Carrots how long?

[The Waxbill]

I think my carrots are not going to come up. I sowed the seeds 3 to 4 weeks ago and no sign of any seedlings coming up yet. How long do they take usually and should I start again?

Ger.

[Rosendula]

They can take a while, then when they do come through they can be hard to spot. I can't remember the date that I sowed mine, but the first three rows were sown on different dates in March. The first row started showing through on 15th April (made a note of that). I'd hang on a little while if I were you to see if they come through after all this lovely rain. Are you going to sow any more? You could wait until you've sown as many rows as you intend to, then start again at the beginning, resowing in any gaps. Does that make sense?

[JulieSherris]

Hi Waxbill,

I sowed my carrot seeds on the 8th April... I planted yellow carrots from the real seed bods, & then nantes & major - I didn't bother staggering the sowings, because I'm going to store mine in the old cottage.

Anyways, the little rows are literally 'just' starting to show now... & I'm a tad more west than you. Mind, I've got mine in the raised beds, so I don't know if that makes much difference??

[The Waxbill]

Thanks guys for the replies. I had a look again today and there is something coming up now actually. The trouble is how do I know they are the carrots and not weeds? What do carrot seedlings look like. They look sort of like grass seedlings at the moment. Anyway I sowed some more today just in case but it's a pain to think I could already be a month behind. Everything else is doing ok though- peas, potatoes, onions, strawberries.

Ger.

[JulieSherris]

Yep - little rows of grass-like tufts are be coming up there, Waxbill - that be carrots!!

(Haha - I really must change my FB language back to english........)

Ger, whilst I am here - MuddyWitch & her hubby are coming over for a visit next week - we're planning a get-together with folks on one of the irish boards.... on Wednesday afternoon/evening - at mine in Williamstown, near Glenamaddy, top end of Co Galway - you're most welcome to join us with partner as well of course, if you can get over???

The same goes for all other irish members as well - if you can get to mine, you will be made more than welcome

Just drop me a PM & I'll send you directions, etc.
Julie.

[Millymollymandy]

Oooh an IrISH get together!

[Jandra]

[JulieSherris]

MMM.... we're going to spend the afternoon/evening talking about all you UN-irISH lot.....

Hehe....

[The Waxbill]

Yep - little rows of grass-like tufts are be coming up there, Waxbill - that be carrots!!

(Haha - I really must change my FB language back to english........)

Ger, whilst I am here - MuddyWitch & her hubby are coming over for a visit next week - we're planning a get-together with folks on one of the irish boards.... on Wednesday afternoon/evening - at mine in Williamstown, near Glenamaddy, top end of Co Galway - you're most welcome to join us with partner as well of course, if you can get over???

The same goes for all other irish members as well - if you can get to mine, you will be made more than welcome

Just drop me a PM & I'll send you directions, etc.
Julie.

Hi Julie, that's a very kind offer and a meet up is a great idea and i would love to come along. However my wife and I are expecting a baby any day now and please God I'll be having my first introduction to fatherhood around that time next week lol... but thanks for the offer and if and when any future meetups occur we'd definately be interested. Good luck and let us know how it goes.

Ger.

[MuddyWitch]

Good luck and let us know how it goes.

Methinks we should say that to you & your lady!

MW

[The Waxbill]

Thanks MW, can't wait to be honest

Ger.

[SarahJane]

I planted paris market variety, the little round carrots, and they came up pretty quickly and are just starting to get their first true leaves. Do I need to cover them with fleece to avoid the carrot fly? They are planted in a long trough. Hence the reason I went for the small round variety.

[Millymollymandy]

I hope not as I have planted carrots in a trough this year specifically because of the root fly problem - it's just not worth me sowing them in the ground any more. Mind you they won't be anywhere near the veg patch so hopefully the flies won't be around! I've sown some long ones in a normal deep round pot and have some little round ones for a shallower trough. It won't be many carrots but quite frankly I'd rather buy cheap ones from the shops than spend time cutting out the black bits and ending up with very little!

[Peggy Sue]

I sew mine altenatley with onions which works well, but the later ones after the onions are up suffer a bit. I heard mixing the seed with flower seed will have a similar affect, might try corrinader, thats quite smelly and will grow after mid summer OK...

[Millymollymandy]

I know a lot of people say to grow carrots and onions together but how does that work, when you are not supposed to have dug in muck or compost into the soil where you grow carrots but you do have to for the onions? Way too complicated for me!

I can confirm that french marigolds, coriander and dill do not work to repel root fly and neither does wood ash. But of course that was in my garden - it might work for someone else.