Brassicas ?

[wetwalnut]

Hi all,

Last year most of the brassicas did not do very well, sprouts did not produce tight buttons and infested with whitefly. PSB fell over everywhere then the snow/frost killed them.

This year I have dug plenty of compost and well rotted manure in over winter.

I know brassicas must have a compacted soil in which to succeed, as I done that last year by treading on the soil around the plants.

I have access to a builders compactor plate otherwise known as a "Whacker" and I am debating on whether using this on the brassica beds.

My thoughts are as the soil has already been dug and manured, if I use the "whacker" to compact the soil now, weeds probably wont be able to germinate easily.And when the time comes to plant the brassicas I could use an old mastic tube to plug out a hole and proceed planting.

I wonder if this compacted soil would have better results.

Any thoughts....

[King Carrot]

Sounds a bit overkill to me, I used one of these on sand to compact it when I put down patio slabs - I'm not sure that's a good idea for soil. I'd just walk on the patch as much as I can before I plant and heel the plants in.

[Snadger]

Put a 'whacker' on your soil and you will ruin the structure. Nothing will grow well in compacted soil. You have added the compost and FYM to improve the structure, so why ruin it again?

Brassicas like to be firmly planted to stop wind rock from breaking their roots. They don't like to be grown in compacted soil!

As you plant each plant just go round it with the heel of you boot. This will be enough to consolidate the soil around them. Tall brassicas are best staked like a tree.

[Aberdeenplotter]

Totally agree with Snadge except I would add the word very before firmly planted.