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