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Broccoli - when should I separate them out?

aidanhoadaidanhoad Posts: 174
in Fruit & veg
Hi everyone,
I planted some broccoli a few days back and they’ve sprouted very quickly - they are about 5cm tall at the moment. When should I thin them out to individual pots and then at which point should I put them in the ground?

I have attached a picture...

Thanks!

Posts

  • aidanhoadaidanhoad Posts: 174
  • ButtercupdaysButtercupdays Posts: 4,546
    edited July 2018
    If you want decent plants they have got to have more light!

    The pot of shorter ones on the left is the one I would choose to prick out. I use module trays, easier than lots of pots to move around.
    The lanky ones will not move as easily and unless you are feeding an army, you won't need more than one potful anyway - they make big plants and are very productive.

    Do it asap, water well and then, as it is so warm, you could put them outside, somewhere shady, under a propagator lid, or a sheet of glass or clear plastic, but use wildlife friendly slug pellets (read the label for usage!) or they may disappear overnight!

    Keep them watered, they grow fast. Give them a few days to settle their roots, then, because they will need hardening off properly so their leaves can cope with sun and wind, start removing the lid or cover during the day.

    After about a week you can leave it off and then plant them out when they are a decent size. They may well look awful for a day or two, and will probably get attacked by slugs etc, but have faith, they will grow through the problem stage. You may need netting to protect against birds and/or  cabbage white butterflies.




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