unhappy cauliflowers

[cheeseplum]

I am growing a variety of veg this year and everything is growing really well except the cauliflowers. They are looking very sad. I planted them about a month ago in 3" pots, they have two or three true leaves. The 'seedling' leaves have now withered and are dying. They have been kept in my shed which has a clear roof, so is very light, but is not very well ventilated. Unfortunately, everything got rather hot recently and my thermometer indicated the temperature went over 40C!
The cauliflowers are now outside now and looking sader each day. The thing is everything else is fine and has been through the same conditions, tomatoes, chillis, peas, calabrese, red cabbage.
Anyway, is there anything i can do to make them cheer up or should i cut my losses and plant some more?
Any advice would be appreciated.

[Alice]

Hello Cheeseplum, sorry about your caulies. I planted mine in an unheated greenhouse and they came on fine. I think maybe yours have been cooked. It seems a bit harsh, but I think those plants will be so stressed now they will never be any good. I would be inclined to start again.

[rustylady]

I would start again, and I think they're a bit small to be in 3" pots. I put mine in cell trays. If you put a very small plant in a pot that's too big for it the roots tend to rot. Most seedlings and plants need potting on gradually until they are big enough to go into final quarters.

[Norm]

Not sure the heat is to blame. I started mine in 1" pots and transplanted yesterday into 4" pots and this morning I swear they they'd grown overnight. From seed to 5" seedlings, they've been in the greenhouse and the daytime temp has reached 48 degrees C at times.

However, another guy on the allotment set his caulies away 3 weeks ago, along with other brassicas. Everything is doing fine, except... you guessed it, the caulies. He thinks it's a bad batch of seed. Try a different seed company and have another go. There's still plenty of time.