Carrot Seedlings Emerging

The Carrots that I sowed in the coldframe a few weeks ago are already pushing through. I think it’s all this mild weather we’ve been having. I always sow a few Carrots in the coldframe so that I can grow them on and harvest some small but perfect early Carrots (Early Nantes) before anything else gets going.

I have sowed some direct into finely raked soil in the open garden. At the moment they are covered with fleece in case we get a frosty night. No sign of them yet but I didn’t expect to see anything yet anyway.

The main garden is looking pretty bare in general right now, with the exception of some Tulips and the wall fruit flowers. But it’s all just waiting to burst into life!

Category: Coldframe, Sowing & Seedlings     Tagged:

9 Comments on “Carrot Seedlings Emerging”

  1. That’s a good idea to get some early carrots. I’m growing a long carrot in some pipes (an attempt for showing) which should be through this weekend and have station sowed some stump carrots direct into the bed. These will be followed on by a few rows of standard carrots at the weekend. We get through so many, more than I can grow!

  2. Having finally netted off the pigeons from my balcony, I’m using the space to grow kitchen herbs, salads and yes, carrots. Hoping the proximity to the warmth of the flat will prove effective! Amsterdam 3 grew well for me last year, this year doing those again, plus tempted to also try Flyaway type.

  3. I put some in a deep tub in the greenhouse a few weeks ago as I never seem to have much luck with early sowings on the plot. Happily these seem to be doing well so all being well we’ll have some early carrots too. ::)

  4. You have inspired me to have a go at early sowings under cover . I am going to have a go this week-end.

  5. Ooh, very timely post for me.

    Currently fretting because I sowed some carrot seed in a tall-sided container, outside, THREE WHOLE WEEKS AGO, and nothing has come through yet. Last week I covered the compost with clear plastic, thinking that might help.

    I think my judgement may be off because I usually start everything in plugs with bottom heat inside (which really speeds up germination) before hardening off and planting out, but I thought that carrots would resent the upheaval, hence the direct sowing.

    I’ve never grown carrots before – how long do they normally take to come through?

  6. Carrots can take a while to show – they don’t like low temperatures so the more you can help them the better, either with a covering of fleece or cloche or in a coldframe. They don’t transplant well so you really have to sow them where you are going to grow them which means your options are limited as to coverings.

    I notice that Tiny Farm is using thick blackout fabric over their Carrots until germination. http://tinyfarmblog.com/carrot-germination-refinement-continues/

    So it doesn’t even have to be see-through fleece!

  7. We’re doing carrots in containers this year (first time) to see how that works. In theory, the soil in containers should warm up more quickly (air temp increases ahead of soil temperature) so aiding the germination. Having them in containers also means that you can raise them high enough to be un-bothered by carrot fly that tend to fly near the ground. That’s the theory at least! One thing I’ve learned with gardening is that theory and practive don’t always align :) Well see.

  9. The first carrot seedlings are through! Planted 9 March emerged 4th April. Next batch – which I should probably sow in the next few days – I will definitely wrap the container in fleece.

    On the plus side, my first Princess Irene tulip is out – exquisite. So many new tulips this year, I can’t wait.