Pricking out Brassicas

[Hazel at the Hill]

Here's a piccy of my cauliflower seedlings - pretty aren't they?

Now I'd like to prick them out into their own little pots (or should I wait a bit? ) and my question is: how deep should they be? Same amount of stem showing as now, or can I bury them a bit?

[shirlthegirl43]

They are pretty Hazel. I sow mine one per cell so don't have to prick out. Would say you could do it whenever you want. You can bury them right up to the seed leaves.

[Hazel at the Hill]

They are pretty Hazel. I sow mine one per cell so don't have to prick out. Would say you could do it whenever you want. You can bury them right up to the seed leaves.

Cheers, Shirley - I know that some things are a bit picky about how they are pricked out, and didn't know if these were like that.

I sowed 2 per little pot, on the assumption that one wouldn't germinate....except that they all did! Can't face the cruelty of consigning one to the compost heap - how would you choose....

[shirlthegirl43]

That's why I sow one per cell in fibre pots - no pricking out and no choosing - if they grow they get stuck in a bit of ground - if they don't they go in the compost bin.

[jacob marley]

Hi Hazel they want to buried as shirl says as long as you do not bury the growing tip they look a bit leggy so putting them in deep will cure that and if they get leggy again when plant them out plant deep again but a bit early for Cauli though good luck jacob

[Hazel at the Hill]

Hi Hazel they want to buried as shirl says as long as you do not bury the growing tip they look a bit leggy so putting them in deep will cure that and if they get leggy again when plant them out plant deep again but a bit early for Cauli though good luck jacob

Thanks, Jacob - the variety is All The Year Round, so I took them at their word!

[gardenplot]

Hi Hazel, i have sown my caulis All Year Round and yours look quite big, when did you sow them, mine are small did mine a few weeks ago in greenhouse,

[pigletwillie]

I sow in a pot and then prick out into 2" pots then into 4" till ready to plant out. Pot them on Hazel a bit deeper as they are rather drawn and leggy.

We ahve also sown all year round which will be ready to plant out in late March or early April.

[Hazel at the Hill]

Thanks all - they look a lot happier now.

I sowed them on 29 Dec, Gardenplot, they've been in the attic room at about 16 deg C to germinate, and as soon as they came up I moved them to the mini greenhouse, which has only had the cover down in the severest of the recent frosts.

[pigletwillie]

They will romp away Hazel and make good plants to plant out.

[Hazel at the Hill]

Thanks, PW - I made a bit of a hash of the brassicas last year (no sprouts for Christmas dinner!!), so would like to get it right!

It's all in the timings, I think - I follow Seymour's 4 year rotation, which has the brassicas going in as pretty sizeable plants (having been in a nursery bed, or similar) after the peas and beans have finished...that's one of the reasons that I've got the broadies in so early.

[lottie dolly]

hi people,glad to hear it ok to bury the brassicas deeper when they get leggy,can the same be done with other tings,including cucumbers,

[Cutecumber]

No, beware of doing it with cucumbers and courgettes as it easy to get stem rot. When they are young, before the stems have hardened, you need to keep the soil just moist, not wet.

Tomatoes can be dropped down - the main stem will root - but you may lose out a little in the overall crop. It is commonly done, however.

[lottie dolly]

thanks for the advice cutecumber

[Protea]

No, beware of doing it with cucumbers and courgettes as it easy to get stem rot. When they are young, before the stems have hardened, you need to keep the soil just moist, not wet.

Tomatoes can be dropped down - the main stem will root - but you may lose out a little in the overall crop. It is commonly done, however.

I always do it with my tomatoes, partly because i always let them get too leggy before i pot them on, and also because i pot them from 3/4 in pots into their final positions in 12 inch whoppas. I've not found it reduces the crop at all - in fact i always have far too many tomatoes!

You can also do this with Chillies and sweet peppers, it works a treat.