Earthway seeder

[seedpodMember]

Hi All, a bit of advice on sowing in the No dig method. I have an Earthway seeder and I was wondering ,particularly with carrots if I would need to remove some of the mulch prior to sowing although the seeder would roll a row before discharging seed and I could alter the depth so that seed was sown a bit deeper.Anyone tried this? .Also a question about fanging. I have always thought that carrots did best ,that is produced the most uniform roots in a soil that had been manured for a previous crop and to this end I had ear marked a couple of places for carrots this year.So, to those of you who mulch annually with manure ,what is the effect if any on your carrot crop?
thanks in advance.

[charlesModerator]

 I can’t help with advice on this seeder. For small seeds such as carrots I find it best to keep my finest compost for where they are to be sown, spread not too thick (an inch at most on the surface). Forking has never been a problem. The advice on not manuring ground for root crops assumes that you are digging it in – it is the incorporated manure or compost which leads to fangs and forks.

I have seen this on my dig / no dig experiment where surface composted parsnips are all straight, compared to those growing in a dug bed with compost dug in, which often fork.

[seedpodMember]

Thanks Charles, I’ll have to experiment with the seeder myself and see whats best and save some of my best compost.
regards, Pod

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