I had this problem, it's why I started indoors. Only things I got to germinate outdoors were the ones that were buried deep. The top inch or so of my soil dries out almost instantly. I've already started a huge compost pile, I know I need to work on making my soil better, this is my first year so I'm learning as I go.

When I seed a ground crop like carrots or beets I water the ground well, then seed and then put down cardboard and soak it every day or several times a day until the seed gernamates. The card board helps the ground stay wet. Amending the soil with compost has helped my garden but now I'm going to try wood chips for my garden beds.

Well, this year isn't "normal" for many of us.

Sounds like this would be a good application for an inexpensive programmable water timer hooked up to a fine sprinkler or some kind of drip, programmed to come on periodically throughout the day to keep the soil moist.

If you your son is getting really disappointed and he does not see the garden a suggestion could be, if you can buy whole carrots with the tops at the store or farm stand and bury them.
I feel your pain my kids 6,5 &3 keep asking about our broccoli and it keeps bolting- my problem is they go out every day to check it so there is no way to "trick" them! All though we are lucky we have other plants that are doing tremendous so it evens out.

All my seeds germinate nicely Okras, CARROTS, water cress, onion, cucumber, and all other varieties. The secret is to keep the soil moist by praying water every day. I use the hose sprayer without any problem. Buy sprinkler and run it few minutes every day. The heat we are experiencing is unusual.

I usually don't water enough and although dry, we aren't experiencing the drought that a lot of the country is having. When I use the sprinkler, I have it on for an hour. I really lucked out when I planted seeds recently because we got a spell of overcast skies and light rain. Germination has been great.
I've read of putting boards on top of the row after watering and checking daily for germination but haven't tried it myself. I have short rows. It sounds like maybe you have long rows/larger garden. Maybe try a small area that can be kept watered more.

Well the beets are up. Still no carrots. Now i had to remove the burlap and i figure they will need misted 3 times a day until they get some good roots going. Ugh. Stupid heat!

my carrots were DOA as soon as I get them out of the soil I think I am not a carrot whisperer lol

The secret is to keep the soil moist by praying water every day.

Freudian slip????

If you your son is getting really disappointed and he does not see the garden a suggestion could be, if you can buy whole carrots with the tops at the store or farm stand and bury them.

Kinda like Santa and the Easter bunny?LOL

Nancy

Lol nancy

lol sometimes you have to fake it

Good job on the beets, Mindy! Mine are up too & like you I'm still waiting on the carrots. But everything I've read says they're notoriously slow to germinate, so let's not totally give up yet.

After my carrots germinate in this heat, I put small wire hoops over them with row cover fabric. This seems to break up some of the heat. An old (preferably white) sheet would work too and of course this would work for beets as well. Although my baby beets seem to be doing okay with the straw scavenged from the potato bed.

Carrots take longer to germinate than beets, so don't give up too soon. Some people put a plank over seed rows and watch closely for the first to poke out. That keeps the soil shaded and moist. I've also used a mix of sifted soil and peat moss down the row, and covered the seeds with the same.

@shermthewerm My Carrots have lasted thus far since last month with any heat we have had and not bolted. Just keep watering when needed and they'll probably be fine.

Lol @nancyjane

Don't give up on your carrots, also misting is probably not enough. I use a hose attachment, have it on the shower mode which is like a shower sprays. I soak the ground, I don't mist it. I also don't bother putting things on top, it's a waste of time for me.

Stuffradio,
I too use the shower setting on my hose attachment--love that one. For the after-thought tomatoes that I threw in the ground wherever, I'm also loving the "soak" setting. Thanks for the encouragement about our forecast--I think I probably planted a few weeks too early, but as this is my first fall garden, I think I made the newbie mistake of underestimating the recommendations for first frost dates...

do you have any seeds for those short stubby carrots? maybe do some in a container where you can burlap or paper towel the top, and have a saucer with an inch of water on the bottom.

Or just keep trying - do only about 10 seeds/week till they "take"

Carrots are cold hardy in zone 8 and the Fall is the only time they should be planted. When planted in late August they will begin producing in January and continue through April. carrots planted in the spring will not have time to produce before the heat in the Spring causes them to bolt.

Byron

Hagar, I disagree. Zone 8 is different for different states or locations. I have had Carrots producing throughout the Summer.

This is how I start carrots in the heat of the summer. I have been doing this for the 4 years now and it is

I work up the ground, rake it smooth, then put down two runs of drip tape. I plant 4 rows in each bed. Then I cover the beds with row cover. I weight it down with pipes, blocks or anything. Then I water it down and turn the drip on to soak the beds. Then I wet the beds down 4 to 6 times a day. I am going to set up a sprinkler, on a timer, for the next planting of carrots.

Here is the whole planting, 512 square feet.

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An upclose picture of a row.
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Before they come up, I will flame the whole bed to take care of the early germinating weeds. When they start coming up, I will pull the row cover, continue to water and weed until they form a canopy.

Jay

Wow, that whole area is full of carrots?

Yes it is. I will start another planting, the same size, in about 2 to 3 weeks. Then I will start one more 4 foot by 45 foot bed about the first of September. This planting we will start picking around the first of October-late November. The next planting will be picked in December-January and the last planting will be picked from Feb-March. I will actually start more carrots in January and I will start picking them in May.

We sell at one Winter Farmers Market, our weekly online CSA and for our own personal use.

Carrot are one of our best sellers!

Jay

How many seeds does one row take?

I dont know exactly, but I usually order 50,000 seeds and that is enough to almost enough to plant both spots. So I order another 25,000 to make sure I have enough seed to keep the Earthway seeder primed and planting well.

I couldn't find a picture from last year, this is two years ago. I planted differently here. There are turnips, beets, carrots, carrots, and turnips planted in this space.

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Here is a January planted bed, picture taken in early March.
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Jay