Hi Cherokee Motley, Thanks for your words of wisdom! I did plant out those ugly little guys and they mostly burned up in the broiling heat. My Danvers look so unfortunate compared to yours- the ones who are barely holding on in the semi-shade. The onions have never really taken off- they’re also planted out and just staying as is. I have just direct sowed some Purple Haze & Over the Rainbow Mixed carrots which both have sprouted (never my problem). I also just threw in some Scarlet Nantes carrots so we’ll see if they do better for having been direct sown. Just a thought, I was told to soak my carrot & onion seeds before sowing, could that be effecting their growth? Thank you so much for your help!! Serious trial & error going on here, ah well!

Hi Sheepandwool (Snow White, awww!), I have no problem sprouting/germinating my carrots (onions too, until now). They always come within a very few days. It’s the seedling growth (or lack) that is eluding me. They just aren’t getting bushy and robust after 5 weeks (only about 8 days in ground). The onions especially look like medium chives- still. I was given 2 red onion bulblets (quite unpromising looking) that I stuck in the ground next to my ugly onions and they both have thick green 1.5" high shoots emerging after 5 days. Those shoots are about 3x as thick as their homely neighbors. I realize it’s wrong to compare your children, but REALLY! I also sowed some more chives and White Lisbon bunching onion seeds about 8 days ago but nothing has sprouted yet (that’s weird for me).

I fed everyone fish emulsion at planting but maybe they need something else? What about mulch? If so, which kind? Too many questions, I know, but thanks for the help!!

Hi Sheepandwool, Sorry it took me so long to respond! Please don’t be sad & jealous of my germination talents because the little buggers don’t do anything. At least your seedlings eventually perform. I must admit, my carrots are only now getting a bit better- slight new growth & bushiness. And so are the red torpedo onions (think thickish chives). That said, all the other ugly onions look nothing like those 2 tiny bulbs I planted 2 weeks ago. Those look exactly like you’d expect of onions. I’m never going to start onions from seed again- it’s sets from now on! There’s just no comparison. I would be shocked if my uglies produced anything larger than a shallot. Lesson learned. As for the carrots, they’re just ambling along SLOOOWWLY. Maybe that Gardens Alive root veggie food would have helped at planting? I’ll try that next year. Thanks so much!

Here is a photo of some ‘thinning’ I did this morning in my garden. This is Day 42 for these guys and they still have another 33. As you can see, they are not much to look at. Carrots have never been easy for me to grow, I just keep trying over and over. My suggestion is to find varieties which are short and stubby and start with those. Once successfully, you will feel more comfortable with one which take longer to mature.

Best of Luck… CM

@Royce, although I have used organic products from Gardens Alive in the past, I have not used anything for several years. Except for compost. Somewhere along the line I have just become obsessed with making compost and spreading it on my garden beds. Search for ‘compost’ under my journals and you can read more about my process.

The bed these carrots are being grown in is my ‘Garlic’ bed, I just choose to take a year off. And the only thing in this bed is 5+ years for 2-3" of compost spread on top once or twice a year.

Short-term check out Roots Alive though and see if that helps…