Fall sown carrots

[ottawagardener]

In 2011, I had summer sown a bunch of carrots that ignored me and mostly refused to germinate. The following spring, they popped up with gusto and we had a lovely crop of early carrots.

So in 2012, I intentionally fall sowed a bunch. We'll see how they do. It is a colder winter this year though we do have snow cover.

Anyone else do this?

[Joseph Lofthouse]

The year after I grow carrot seed, the area around the seed bed is filled with volunteer carrot (weeds). Same thing with turnip seed.

[oxbowfarm]

OK, I'm going to attempt a frost seeded carrot row or two. Carrots are a complete bitch for me to germinate.

[steev]

The carrots i sowed in December have failed to germinate, the beets, ditto. I'd like to think they're going to pop up any day now, but I doubt it. I've never had luck with carrots, snivel.

[ottawagardener]

Steev: do you have any seedling eating critters? Last year, earwigs ate my early sown crops of carrots, parsnips, beets, chard... etc... I've never had such a destructive population of them before and hope never too again. I hear similar things can happen with sow bugs and slugs. Or is it a water thing in terms of germination?

[ottawagardener]

Joseph: I get that with parsnips and parsley (and many others). Turnip doesn't overwinter without protection here and my family doesn't like the roots enough for me to have stored them to get a seed selection however I like turnips! I've also grown carrot for seed but not sure of what the volunteer seedling rate was afterward.

[steev]

I've speculated that something is eating these as soon as they pop up, but if so they're remarkably diligent pests.

[ottawagardener]

Steev: Let's go with any day now they'll surprise you then )

Actually, I only saw a smattering of seedlings in the hundreds of seeds I'd sown then shortly after they'd disappear so earwigs seem remarkable in their destructive powers. Didn't see any chard seedlings at all in the multiple sowings.

Let next year be normal. Let next year be normal. Let next year be better than normal.

[12540dumont]

Carrots need to be kept dampish to sprout!

Steev, did you try any of the carrot seed from the trial?

Carrot seed is only good for about 3 years and it should sprout in 16 days. Try some in a tray on your porch. If none of them come up....well blame the seed.

Otherwise, Peter and his friends may be visiting when you are not about.

[stevil]

I tried autumn sown carrots last fall and they germinated well! Have tried again and this winter significantly colder, frozen solid down to bedrock for 4 months or more. I find that carrot seed often doesn't germinate after 2 years.

[ferdzy]

We tried and they did not come up. But in general, we find getting carrots to germinate and grow to be a real struggle.

[ottawagardener]

Do you know why ferdzy? Is there something eating them?

[templeton]

I've been drying off carrot seed heads in my plastic house, and now have little carrots popping up in all the seed trays and pots. Wish they would do that in my garden.
T

[12540dumont]

Templeton,

This weekend Leo went to till the area the carrot trial was in. He asked me to mow it first. Well you know how we make raised beds...every ditch was full of carrots. They had re-seeded themselves without any care at all. Go figure.

Here's last year's carrot beds, replanted to broc, cauli, cabbage, and lettuce. Since all of mine have gone to bolt!

Attachments:

[steev]

Sunday I found ONE carrot sprouted from that December planting; I think they delegated one among them to make the effort, just to taunt me.

My Spring-sown carrots are making a more hopeful showing.