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Are my broccoli seedlings ok?

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  • raisingirlraisingirl Posts: 7,093

    I'd sow them in the greenhouse (by which I mean I do sow them in the greenhouse). Depends on what your slug population is like but the recommended method of sowing brassicas is actually outside in a seedbed. Mine would never see the light of day if I did that, so I sow them in modules in an unheated polytunnel and move them outside (with shelter) once they are about 4 inches tall.

    I guess the reason your first batch have not thrived is that whatever made them go crispy checked the growth for a while and most seedlings need to keep growing steadily or they do just lose the will to live.

    There is a definition of stupidity which is "repeatedly doing the same thing in the expectation of getting a different result" but actually that IS gardening in my limited experience (as well as all matters IT related but that may be really just stupidity). 

    Fingers crossed image

    Gardening on the edge of Exmoor, in Devon

    “It's still magic even if you know how it's done.” 
  • BobTheGardener says:

    I agree, no hope for those.  There is a possibility that your homemade compost is a bit acidic which the tomatoes won't mind but the brassicas will hate.  I would sow the next batch in a commercial compost, most of which contain a bit of lime.  This would also eliminate any possibility of disease affecting the seedlings.  When happy, brassica seedlings are strong and fast growers.

    Last edited: 06 May 2017 11:03:44

    See original post

     Bob, the homemade compost is a mix of commercial potting compost and some sieved loam from years of accumulated grass clippings leaf mould that sat in a big heap for about ten years. At the bottom of it I found what seemed to be lovely crumbly stuff that looked worth using, partly done after reading Monty's seed compost recipe. The heap does sit under a pine tree and so has presumably some remnants of needles in it. Would that be an issue for brassicas?

    I will sow the next seeds in just the commercial compost and see what happens, with fingers crossed! 

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

  • So, I sowed more seeds in the greenhouse as raisingirl suggested and they look happy. I persevered with the other seedlings and some were doing quite well considering, but then one day we didn't open the cold frame and the sun shone more than expected.... In spite of this some of the kale may still make it.

    My question now is should I be potting the new seedlings on or be looking to plant them out? And though the other seedlings are outside now, I'm not convinced they are up to going in the ground yet.

    Pics below, thoughts welcome! 

    Thanks

    Oh, and whilst I'm here, how long before the onions in the background should go in the ground?

    image

    image

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

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