Re: If You CARROT all for SFG...

quiltbea 2/2/2011, 7:25 pm

I wasn't going to get Nantes this year, but I guess I will. I want to be in on this one. I hope to plant some in my A-frame by that date if the snow melts enough that I can trudge out to my garden.

BackyardBirdGardner 2/2/2011, 8:33 pm

Fun idea. I should have some going in the garden by default.....staggering harvests. I'll just have to note the specific square.

And, I can't bear anymore from Kimber and Boffer. I wish you would stop ramming your humor down our throats. Wink

CarolynPhillips 2/2/2011, 8:37 pm

I don't know if any of you check the temp of your soil before sowing seeds but the lowest soil temp that carrots will germinate is 61 * F.
I know the book says you can sow carrot seeds 3 weeks before last frost date.
Doesn't make sense to me. Maybe I will figure it out one of these days. I think you have lower germination success 3 weeks before last frost and most end up rotting.
I think I will keep sowing mine a week before last frost date.

Me= not a carrot expert

janefss2002 2/2/2011, 8:57 pm

I'm in. I think I have some Nantes seeds from Territorial Seeds, too that I can share. I'll see this weekend and check back in with that info. Right now our Dallas "Super" Snowstorm 2011 (what media calls it here) is draining me. We had rolling blackouts here all day, including this morning at the hospital where I work. Oops! Shocked

"Someone" forgot hospitals are exempt. That got fixed at my place mid morning. Family got to experience the rest of the blackouts without me.

I think for me I will start some at my "regular" date and start another set from same package with the group and post records of both. For me that part will be sorta like what Boffer posted. I would like to know for myself that info!

This could turn out to be a fantastic experiment! I vow to be better about taking pictures! Embarassed

Jane

boffer 2/2/2011, 9:20 pm

BackyardBirdGardner wrote:And, I can't bear anymore from Kimber and Boffer. I wish you would stop ramming your humor down our throats.

Oh hey now, I think you should just cowboy up and jet on over to get those seeds from LaFee, and I ain't lion!

FarmerValerie 2/2/2011, 9:32 pm

I think we will all need some hip waders by the time the super bowl comes round, if the game talk keeps up.

janefss2002 2/2/2011, 9:37 pm

FarmerVal,
If you are here In Dallas proper, you need Snowshoes lol!

Jane

boffer 2/2/2011, 9:52 pm

It never occurred to me to check what the ideal soil temp is for carrot germination. But 61* is so contrary to my experience that I went googling. The temp ranges I found were all over the map (40-80).

I plant my first carrots every year in a cold frame on V Day so they will be ready when my first peas are ready. We have Februaries on record where we did not see the sun. Unfortunately, there's no way my soil ever gets near 60* in Feb or Mar or Apr. I stagger 4-5 plantings every several weeks, just playing the odds. Yesterday, I posted here to show the effect of growing carrots in warmer weather. They say carrots are a cool weather plant, and I'm inclined to agree.

janefss2002 2/2/2011, 10:12 pm

Thanks, Boffer, for posting the link to the "Crazy Carrots" and covering my back. That is the link I should have noted. I'm too tired and stressed to be interacting and should have just chilled.

But I so love this place and find peace here in all of the gardens!

Jane

boffer 2/2/2011, 10:59 pm

FarmerValerie wrote:I think we will all need some hip waders by the time the super bowl comes round, if the game talk keeps up.

janefss2002 wrote:FarmerVal,
If you are here In Dallas proper, you need Snowshoes
Jane

You Texans need to buc up and go collect some browns for your compost pile so you can grow giant carrots. Smile

FarmerValerie 2/3/2011, 12:34 am

janefss2002 wrote:FarmerVal,
If you are here In Dallas proper, you need Snowshoes

Jane

The snow missed us, we were to far north, as I expected. Well, I take that back, we had flurries that just blew around never hitting the ground and finally just disappeared. Which after the 8" we got a while back was just fine with me, that's why I live down here.

Icemaiden 2/3/2011, 5:13 am

CarolynPhillips wrote:I don't know if any of you check the temp of your soil before sowing seeds but the lowest soil temp that carrots will germinate is 61 * F.

I've never taken the soil temperature but since the air temperature only makes it over 61°F on good summer days then I think the soil is cooler except where the sun is warming it. So do soil temperatures just mean how warm the seed will get when warmest?
I planted on April 30th last year, got almost 100% germination, and the seeds were all up after about 14 days.
Looking at the chart here:
http://tomclothier.hort.net/page11.html
I seem to get results that would fit with soil temperature of about 50°F. But I'm not sure what "soil temperature" means - temperature reached by seed over the day, or what?

Odd Duck 2/3/2011, 9:08 am

FarmerValerie wrote:
janefss2002 wrote:FarmerVal,
If you are here In Dallas proper, you need Snowshoes

Jane

The snow missed us, we were to far north, as I expected. Well, I take that back, we had flurries that just blew around never hitting the ground and finally just disappeared. Which after the 8" we got a while back was just fine with me, that's why I live down here.

That's why I live down here, too, and we've got packed ice and ruts on the roads, still have about 2" of snow in the grass, had to put in my pond heaters and I've NEVER seen snow last this long in the nearly 16 years I've been living in TX. Evil or Very Mad

FarmerValerie 2/3/2011, 9:18 am

I've been down here since '84, so thats almost 27 years. I'm still not used to the heat, but LOVE telling visitors that "No it's not hot yet, wait till August".

I sure hope all that mess clears up before the game Sunday. The Farmer's Almanac says (at least online) that the weather for the game did not matter, as the stadium has a retractable roof, I doubt they considered all the crazy drivers down here driving on ice and snow.

Thanks for the reminder about a pond heater, I hope to be putting a small water garden in, and I need to add that to my list of supplies, even if all I do is gather this year and install next. I collect rocks and will be making my own waterfall.

CindiLou 2/3/2011, 10:46 am

janefss2002 wrote:I'm in. I think I have some Nantes seeds from Territorial Seeds, too that I can share. I'll see this weekend and check back in with that info. Right now our Dallas "Super" Snowstorm 2011 (what media calls it here) is draining me. We had rolling blackouts here all day, including this morning at the hospital where I work. Oops! "Someone" forgot hospitals are exempt. That got fixed at my place mid morning. Family got to experience the rest of the blackouts without me.

I think for me I will start some at my "regular" date and start another set from same package with the group and post records of both. For me that part will be sorta like what Boffer posted. I would like to know for myself that info!

This could turn out to be a fantastic experiment! I vow to be better about taking pictures!

Jane

My sister lives in Wylie and my brother in Justin (can't get used to that, he lived in Irving for over 20 years) They keep sending me photos trying to get me to feel sorry for them! Laughing

I just send my photos back1 Twisted Evil

About 10" and up to 60mph winds this week. on top of 6" already on the ground. Come to think of it, we are having a MILD winter.

Anyway. They keep asking me when I am coming home (been in iowa for 35 yrs) I keep saying I can have the snow WITHOUT the summer heat up here! Laughing

BackyardBirdGardner 2/3/2011, 10:57 am

Valerie, "too far north" has to be a relative term...lol.

I used to want to live in either Dallas or Atlanta when I was a kid. I wanted the heat and no winters to speak of. I also would have settled for Tulsa. But, my family, and wife's family, live in St. Louis, so here I am.

The older I get, the more I like Tulsa's weather. Not quite as oppressive in the summers. And, it snows more regularly....but is gone in 3 days most times.

FarmerValerie 2/3/2011, 11:29 am

BackyardBirdGardner wrote:Valerie, "too far north" has to be a relative term...lol.

I used to want to live in either Dallas or Atlanta when I was a kid. I wanted the heat and no winters to speak of. I also would have settled for Tulsa. But, my family, and wife's family, live in St. Louis, so here I am.

The older I get, the more I like Tulsa's weather. Not quite as oppressive in the summers. And, it snows more regularly....but is gone in 3 days most times.

I lived in Eufaula OK for almost a year, it's between McAlester and Muskogee, you are right about the summer heat not being so oppressive, the humidity is low. Down here you get up, shower, go outside for 15 min and need another shower, and that's in May and June. The winter we were in OK, we had a blizzard (early '84) and the state had 2 snow plows, one in OK City, and one in Tulsa, the both froze and were not able to use them...

Last year Dallas and Shreveport got snow, Texarkana did not, that's where the "too far north" comes from. We are about an hour (depends on who is driving and whether or not AR has road crews, which is most of the time) NW from Shreveport LA and 2 1/2-3 hours (again depends on who is driving) NE of Dallas.

quiltbea 2/3/2011, 12:01 pm

OK, getting back to carrots........
My sources tell me they like soil temps of 55-70* for optimimum growth.

I invested in a soil thermometer and I love it. I take my soil temps before I sow seeds or transplant. I want the best for my crops, but I take my chances, too, so 5 degrees this way or that is OK with me.

If You CARROT all for SFG... - Page 2 09-20-10

If You CARROT all for SFG... - Page 2 09-20-10

Last year my carrots took forever. These are some Scarlet Nantes and Napoli varieties on 9/20 after 4 months in the ground. Like I said, "forever."

Seed life of carrots is only 2-3 years if kept safely in the fridge in sealed containers, so its best to get them used in a couple of years. I like the idea of planting more every 10-14 days for an ongoing crop.

I'm going to enjoy this challenge.

jerzyjen 2/3/2011, 2:47 pm

Well... I promised myself I would not buy ANY more seeds this year. Promise broken, I just ordered my nantes seeds. I needed an excuse to buy sunflower seeds anyway.... I think this will be fun.

BackyardBirdGardner 2/3/2011, 3:55 pm

My soil thermometer doubles as a meat thermometer. And, it's also my indoor/outdoor weather station. I just toss the needle out the window, wait 5 minutes, and bingo....accurate temps down under 40F. I dont need it to go lower. Lower than that and it's just plain too cold to do anything in my garden...or otherwise...for me.

**WardinWake** 2/3/2011, 4:00 pm

LaFee wrote:Let me see what I can find -- the garden centers are still pretty bare at this point, but we've got a little time. (I can't even find seed mix yet to start tomatoes!)

Howdy LaFee: If you can find the seed in bulk, like maybe 2 OZ or more and get them to me or someone else then we can re-mail to others here in the U.S. at stamp rate. I will gladly do that if it can be done.

God Bless, Ward and Mary.

jumiclads 2/4/2011, 3:51 pm

Well if I can get everything ready by the start date I will be in aswell. If not I will make a little 2 square foot box and join in anyway. Very Happy

Just need to order some seeds aswell, must remember that.

ander217 2/5/2011, 6:58 am

Count us in, too.

sully 2/5/2011, 12:11 pm

I have never grown carrots before, but
I am looking forward to trying.
It should be fun.

Megan 2/5/2011, 4:38 pm

I'm in!

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