I have planted carrot and leek seeds in the raised bed.....

[powder28]

Should I have planted them in trays first?

[powder28]

bump

[Pepa]

Sorry I can't help you but I'd really like to know the answer to this one as well as I'm trying to grow veggies for the first time this year....C'mon there must be someone out there who can help us!!

[MrsWho]

Carrots (IME) are better planted straight out as the don't transfer well, you'll just have to thin them out later. My Dad always does leeks in a tray first but I don't suppose it matters as long as you thin them out once they start growing.

[Hilllary]

I found cutting a big coke bottle or of sort in half using the spout end place it over the soil where you planted the seed, it will stop birds and animals digging them up & will act as a greenhouse, keep the lid off and it will keep its own moisture.

[WriggleJiggle]

I planted carrots and leeks today. I'm a complete beginner, but I THINK that carrots go straight in the ground and leeks go in pots then get transfered into deep holes. I think the leek thing is so that the stalks go white (i.e. having soil up against them blanches them so they don't go green like the tops).

However, I couldn't be bothered with the transplanting thing so I just threw them all inthe ground .

Hoping someone more knowledgeable comes along soon ...

[bozza]

I have planted carrots with DD in pots. They took ages to germinate but have started coming up now.

[BonyM]

Ooh, can I hijack please? Anyone know how long carrot seeds take to germinate? I planted some in a large pot about a week ago - no sign of anything yet but I did catch dd2 rooting about in there - wondering if she's messed it all up, or if it's just too early to expect anything.

I am a vegetable-growing virgin .

[BonyM]

Ah - bozza has answered my question!

[MrsWho]

My carrots took ages too

[Hilllary]

You can grow carrots in pipes (like plastic drain pipes) it keeps them straight too, great for growing on a patio or such.

[MrsWho]

I have little ones in window boxes

[bozza]

The seeds came up this week - so I reckon 2 and 1/2 weeks. I thought you weren't supposed to transplant carrots because it risked their roots getting misshapen.

[powder28]

Also, do I need to cover the bed at night? If so, what is best to cover it with?

[cece]

I planted my carrots direct in the soil and I think they took about 2-3 weeks to germinate. Have little tufts poking through soil now, just. But can't remember when I planted them... I am novice too. My peas are about 5 cm tall now, planted straight in soil.

I have grown peppers, tomatoes, sweetcorn and courgettes in seed trays first...

[powder28]

cece, how long did your peppers take to come up? Mine seem to be taking ages!

[cece]

I think the first lot were 3 weeks or so, the second lot were a bit quicker but I put them in a propagator on a sill above a hot radiator

[MrsWho]

my peppers tok about a month