Winter gem & amsterdam forcing

[bluebell]

I sowed my winter gem rather late last year and they were not big enough to plant out before winter, they have been in a grow house and have now started showing signs of growth. I assume if I plant out in the next few weeks they will just carry on and still produce a fairly early salad crop?

I also have some Amsterdam forcing carrots that say they can be sown with protection from January since we are fairly mild at the moment would it be foolish to sow under fleece now?

[Pete Budd]

Hi Bluebell

In East Yorkshire my attempts to get early carrots going are often defeated by the weather. Cold, wet conditions are not conducive to good germination and last year I had to resow due to the cold spring. I`ve never tried Amsterdam forcing but imagine it needs a bit of heat under glass.

Pete

[charles]

 Small seeds like carrot often fail when sown before March. Although mild, it is wet. Whereas lettuce plants can cope better and although they won’t be superbly happy, they could go out under fleece now, with bare soil around them.

[bluebell]

Thank you both.

I will hold off with the carrots then – thought January sounded optimistic, at best I think they would act as a slug magnet. Although strangely at the moment I am finding mainly snails rather than slugs. Obviously like different conditions.

[Author]

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