Direct or glass sow ?

[andy_j]

I'm new at this veg growing stuff so please bear with me. I plan to grow the following from seed next year....

Runners beans
French beans
Parsnips
Beetroot
Carrots
Sprouts
Iceberg lettuce
Leeks............

and would like to know if it's better to direct sow in the ground or to sow in in the GH and prick them out before planting out and growing on in the ground.

Could i sow a couple of seeds into a jiffy 7 or is it just not worth the hastle ?

Any help is much appreciated

Andy

[Two_Sheds]

Could i sow a couple of seeds into a jiffy 7 or is it just not worth the hastle ?

imo, they are rubbish. Have a go with your Search button for others' views though

[Two_Sheds]

from your list, the only thing I sow direct is beetroot. That's because the slugs eat anything else that gets sown direct.
Also, I can start tender veg (the beans) off early if I do them in modules in the greenhouse.

Carrots and parsnips have legions of threads dedicated to their cultivation: again, have a go with your search button. Here's one to get you started: http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...ips_17568.html

[Snadger]

For me........... Parsnips,carrots and beetroot are sown direct. Brassicas are sown outdoors in a seedbed for pricking out later. The rest are sown in modules indoors.

[DaveInBraknell]

Hi,

Like Two Sheds I start off some runner & french beans early gives successional sowing, so start them early under glass, plant out and at plant out time try and put some seeds in the ground. Can heartily recommend the painted lady variety of Runners as we have had a large crop this year from them. Going to try canadian wonder this year on the french bean side.

Parsnips and Carrots I did in Modules this year, the tall ones (Cannot remember the name of them sorry). Parsnips where ok but ended up about half a foot wide and 1 foot deep, so like mini barrells, probably due to the tap root being distorted. Carrots not so good.

So Direct sowing starts in Feb for my short horn carrots this year under a glass cloche.

Sprouts like any other brassica I will start in the greenhouse, had good results with Brassicas in this manner (Besides the dreaded cabbage white this year)

No luck with Beetroot at all

[Alison]

Runners beans - in root trainers in a cold greenhouse for planting out after the frosts
French beans - as runners
Parsnips - direct sow in the bed when the soil has warmed up a bit
Beetroot - direct sow, a few every couple of weeks
Carrots - direct sow, a few earlies in tubs as I go and then the main crop direct in the ground
Sprouts - in modules but outside on some staging, too much risk with slugs and the like to sow direct and too hot in the greenhouse to sow in there
Iceberg lettuce - don't grow iceberg but with other lettuce I sow in modules, in the cold greenhouse at the start and end of the season and outside at other times. As with sprouts this lets them get big enough to scare the slugs before I risk them on their own at the plot
Leeks - in pots in the cold greenhouse and then split and planted out later

Personally I find that most things benefit from a head start in modules as it makes them less suseptible to pests and means that it is easier for me to avoid using chemicals etc although it does depend on the pests in your area. In additon, I grow most of my veggies on an allotment plot and I can keep a better eye on seedlings at home.