sábado, 30 de outubro de 2010

À terceira é de vez / Third time is the charm

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Desde há 3 anos que todos os anos experimento semear cenouras. Sempre sem sucesso. Nem sequer germinam. Este ano resolvi experimentar uma ultima vez. Usei a tecnica da serapilheira que vi num outro blog. Consiste em semear e cobrir com serapilheira de forma a manter a humidade e evitar o crescimento das daninhas. O resultado não foi fantastico mas ainda assim bastante melhor que nos outros anos. A taxa de germinação foi relativamente baixa mas ainda assim tenho cenouras a crescer.

Ever since I first started my vegetable garden, 3 years ago, I've tried to grow carrots. Always without success . I just couldn't understand why, but I wasn't going to give up on them. This year I tried once again. I used the burlap technique Which I red about in another blog. You just sow the seeds and cover them with burlap. This will help to keep the moisture and prevent weed growth.
The result, though far from great, was a lot better then before, and we have carrots growing in the veg garden.


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Encorajado pelo relativo sucesso resolvi experimentar uma outra coisa. Lembrei-mer q tinha uma velha banheira na horta ainda à espera de destino e resolvi enchê-la de composto. Semeei cebolas, cenouras e rabanetes. As cebolas e os rabanetes já estão com um tamanho jeitoso e agora, finalmente começam a germinar as cenouras. Comparando com as que semeei anteriormente a taxa de germinação é muito melhor.

So, since I was finally having some degree of success with carrots I decided to try something diferent. I Remembered I had an old bath tub just laying around waiting to be used and turned it into a raised bed. I filled it with compost and sowed carrots, onions and radishes. Carrots and radishes were fast to germinate and grow, but the carrots are only starting to sprout. The germination rate is a lot higher then with the ones I sowed directly on the ground.


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Não consigo explicar a diferença entre a taxa de germinação nos dois locais, mas cá me parece que vou passar a semear as cenouras sempre na banheira.

I can't realy explain the differences in germination rates, but one thing I'm sure...I'll keep on sowing carrots in the bath tub.

5 comentários:

Matron disse...

I think the secret with carrots is to have a very fine soil with no stones at all. Alas here in London I have heavy clay soil with stones! Your bath tub will also be great for keeping the carrot root fly away from your precious crop.

gintoino disse...

Matron, that is probably my problem. My soil is heavy and with stones like yours. That's why they are doing so well in the bath tub, very fine light worm compost!

Piglet disse...

Hi,

I like your determination! Matron is right carrots do grow well in fine soil. I had great success for a couple of years but now nada! My veg patch has been hopeless this year due to a maturing hedge and several trees which has taken all the moisture and nutrients from the soil. I have been experimenting growing veg in pots with varying degrees of success. Like the bathtub idea will have to raid the local bins...they are always dumping things like this!

Do you make your own compost?

Kind regards
Piglet

gintoino disse...

Hi piglet! Yes I do make my own compost. I have 3 large compost piles but they still aren't enough. My soil is poor in organic matter, so I need all the compost I can get my hands on.

I think our climate (you are also in the Algarve, aren't you?) is too hot for container gardening. I never tried it with veggies and the only plants I can grow successfully in containers are succulents.

Jane Alves disse...

Minha sogra me falou que antigamente
não se plantava cenoura no Ribatejo porque eram consideradas de fino trato.
Elas requerem água e humidade não será por isso que deu-se melhor na banheira ?

Abraços.