do swede need earthing up?

[ckfe]

i've got some swede growing in a crate outside, the seedlings are about 3 inches high but incredibly spindly (like cress).. they've started to lean over alarmingly and some have bent so far over that the leaves are touching the soil.. they all look perfectly healthy just don't seem to be able to hold themselves up .. do i need to put some more soil around the shoots or something to hold them up?

[Paulottie]

No, they don't need earthing up usually but it would do no harm to push in a little soil from either side. Is there a big distance between compost and the top of crate?... that might have caused the leggyness.

[ckfe]

not really, the crate is about 18inches deep and the compost is filled up to within 3 or 4 inches of the top

[gojiberry]

They do tend to lean over but they shouldn't be at all leggy. Mine are leaning but the leaves are all facing up and only about an inch tall but a spread of about 3". They have a small swede forming already. This is the first time I seem to be having some success with swede, they were started off in individual pots.

Ian

[ckfe]

hmmm, to be honest i'm not 100% sure they are swede..i planted swede and carrots in the same crate and i labelled them up but the ones that said carrots came up with leaves and the ones that said swede started sprouting spiky green hair type shoots so i decided i had the labels the wrong way round... now i'm not so sure

[terrier]

Swap the labels, quick!