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Why are my broccoli and cauli seedlings floppy?

Stephanie newish gardenerStephanie newish gardener Posts: 516
in Fruit & veg
Hello
Some of my cauli and broccoli seedlings have flopped. They are well watered and we're all standing up fine the other day. My only thought is whether they got too warm in the greenhouse two days ago when it was cool but sunny, though the door was open. They are now in the cold frame and the lean-to mini greenhouse, a tray of each in each to see if there's a difference. I propped up a few of them with plant labels yesterday but as you can see, they have flopped the other way now. The cold frame is open but quite sunny, and the wooden thingie is open and gets less sun. Both closed at night.
Thoughts welcome, thanks

No longer newish but can't think of a new name so will remain forever newish.  B) 

Posts

  • BobTheGardenerBobTheGardener Posts: 11,385
    They are planted a lttle shallow - did they germinate in those pots or have you pricked them out into them?  Either way, I would suggest (carefully) re-potting them a bit deeper, so that the base of the first 'true' leaves are just under the surface (remove or bury the 'seed' leaves.  That is what I do with all of my brassicas and they get planted a little deeper still when they are planted out into their final positions in the soil. 
    If you don't do that, wind-rock will damage the stem/root connection, which is one reason many folk fail to grow decent cauliflowers and brussels. ;)
    A trowel in the hand is worth a thousand lost under a bush.
  • Stephanie newish gardenerStephanie newish gardener Posts: 516
    They grew in plugs and i potted them on, and I thought I'd been careful to plant them firmly, but clearly some might not be deep enough.  I've grown broccoli before and it's been ok, but perhaps this time I've not done quite so well. I wondered about topping up the compost to support them but re-potting will probably give them a more secure footing.
    As far as wind-rock goes, that's going to be a problem for me because it gets quite windy here, and they are going into recently dug ground, which I know is quite a risk, but I have nowhere else to put them apart from where some brassicas grew last year.  The wellies will be out shortly to stamp down the ground before planting out as best I can, and canes will be at the ready, not to mention netting for the pesky butterflies! 
    No longer newish but can't think of a new name so will remain forever newish.  B) 

  • BobTheGardenerBobTheGardener Posts: 11,385
    You can tie brussels stems to canes fairly easily and a combination of stakes/canes and string to help support many of the others in windy areas works well.
    A trowel in the hand is worth a thousand lost under a bush.
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