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Hi everyone, I'm new to this malarky and keen to grow brassicas on my allotment. I raised some plants from seed at home - cabbage (advantage), caulis (igloo) and calabrese. Planted them out on the allotment early last week after hardening them off in the cold frame but I've just been down there (I've been away) and some of the leaves have gone a pinky colour, some just look pale but not interesting thought the calabrese look just about ok. What did I do wrong?
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First of all, when you say you "hardened them off in the cold frame", did you allow them to stand out of the cold frame during the day, putting them in again at night? You'd want to do that for about a week before allowing them to stay out at night. Down here, the weather was so cold over the past few weeks I didn't even attempt to harden anything off. I think you might have jumped the gun a bit - especially with the cauliflowers, which are a bit tender. -
brassicas!!
I live in the south west and its not been too cold here since a few hardish frosts. The cold frame has two lids - a perspex one and a mesh one. I started keeping the perspex one on, then only at night and then just the mesh one. When I planted them out I put lemonade bottles over them - just in case!
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Sounds like you hardened them off well enough... are the lemonade bottles still over them? I'm just thinking that the hard easterly winds we've been having are enough to set anything back that wasn't accustomed to them. I hope it's not cutworms getting at the roots... (I hope I don't sound like a prophet of doom) If it is just the cold, they should perk up now that the weather is softening. Make sure to keep them watered till they're established.Comment
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brassicas!!
Just taken the bottles off and netted the area this afternoon - it is fairly sheltered from north and east winds. Just have to wait and see! Got some good looking lettuces though. I planted loads thinking that the slugs would get most but so far they are all mine!!Comment
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