Do I need to thin these out?

[Kalkie]

My seedlings are propagating and growing at a frightening rate now! This, for example, is a picture of one little peat pot of turnip (swede) seedlings ...



Do I need to thin these out at all? Or are they ready to go outside? I'm in Kent and we're still getting some frost, but we also have a cold frame.

We can't get into the garden until the weekend, so will they be OK as they are until them and can we plant them outside under the cold frame come Saturday or Sunday? Or should I thin them out before that?

Thanks so much for all your help! I'm feeling a bit daft about this whole process at the moment

[zazen999]

Hi

they look quite damp; I would leave them a bit longer if you need to; there's no rush and brassicas will happily stay put for ages. Try not to keep them so wet or they might get damping off; brassicas like it dry and cool.

I've planted out worse and they have still come good. I'd leave it until at least the next 2 leaves are out personally...and harden them off before they go straight outside.

Personally, they'd be in that cold frame as soon as sprouted if they were mine.

[Flummery]

I also only sow one of these brassica types per module cell - I don't use peat pots. Just don't like them. The seeds are bg enough to handle and you can ensure that you don't need to thin. I always keep trays of brassicas in the cold frame - even to germinate. They don't need it to be warm. Brassica seed keep well too so you can make a packet of seeds last several years.

[SMS6]

Are Turnips Brassicas? I always thought they were root crop. You learn something new every day

[Snadger]

Are Turnips Brassicas? I always thought they were root crop. You learn something new every day

Yep they are brassicas and you can even get clubroot resistant varieties!

[rustylady]

Yes they are brassica family, but are also root crops which are not always happy at being transplanted (round roots fare rather better than long ones such as carrots and parsnips which are very tricky). I don't use peat pots either, don't like them, they either go mouldy or get too dry which stops the roots growing through as they're meant to. As regards your seedlings, I would thin to one per module.

[SMS6]

So if I've sown my turnips in my carrot bed, have I messed up my rotation?

[Flummery]

Not if you sown something that's not a brassica or not a root! Peas/beans? I'm a bit casual with my rotation - I just never grow the same thing in the same place for at least 3 years. So far.... so good!

[Two_Sheds]

Oh dear. They are too crowded and way, way too wet.
Thin out to one seedling per cell, and stop watering so much. The leaves should not be wet at all.