"Ade" wrote
My first allotment, my first failure (and I've only sowed 4 things!).
Carrots. I sowed 2 types (Early Nantes and Flyaway) but not a one has
germinated.

Look at the 'Carrot Disaster' thread two days back. It's a common problem,
and as for spinach, I had two germinate out of an eight foot row. You have
clay soil? You have neglected the slug/snail threat? Sometimes the weather
doesn't help germination and they rot off.


I didn't realise carrots were difficult to germinate. I've done a Google
and come up with a site that gives hints on improving germination:
http://www.rnzih.org.nz/pages/growing-carrots.htm