Brassica tap roots

[kris1960]

Its raining, praise be! Using time to crop and hopefully attach picture of new cabbage bed!

[kris1960]

It worked! Thankyou Sarico! Cropped on phone, emailed to myself, downloaded, saved and attached.

[Snadger]

Pruning of roots is like any other pruning, it promotes growth.

The very act of lifting from a seed bed, or transplanting from a module/seedbox does the same thing.

It also helps if your ground has any clubroot in it as the new seedlings have a head start and a mini rootball before being attacked. The more roots that are in contact with the soil the less chance of 'wind rock' one of the main caises of blown cauliflowers/sprouts.

[veggiechicken]

Just to be clear (or not) you're talking about root pruning leafy brassicas like cabbages, not edible root ones like turnips that are better not transplanted................or are you?

[marchogaeth]

Just to be clear (or not) you're talking about root pruning leafy brassicas like cabbages, not edible root ones like turnips that are better not transplanted................or are you?

Isn't a turnip a swollen, modified stem?

[Snadger]

Just to be clear (or not) you're talking about root pruning leafy brassicas like cabbages, not edible root ones like turnips that are better not transplanted................or are you?

Yes, in the first instance, no to the second! Not root pruning, just breaking the taproot.

[Snadger]

It all boils down to direct sown V transplanted. Most people transplant so will break the taproot anyway.

[kris1960]

It all boils down to direct sown V transplanted. Most people transplant so will break the taproot anyway.

Do you think that it is a good idea to break off the bottom of the module sown roots and do you think that it applies to all brassicas?

[Snadger]

Do you think that it is a good idea to break off the bottom of the module sown roots and do you think that it applies to all brassicas?

Its supposed to be why swedes,turnips and radish are best direct sowm? I have module grown swedes with some success but always direct sow some more when i plant the others out. Its a 'Belt and braces' thing with me but does give a succession of crops.
I don't break the roots purposely, its just that in module sown stuff a secondary root system is formed naturally because the roots are confined.

[kris1960]

Thanks Snadger. Is it possible that I may have bonsaied those cabbages? Am intending to grow swedes this year for the first time and will direct sow- do you think they mind a bit of shade?

[Sarico]

I'm already struggling with brassica and all this stuff make more complicated to me. When I plant out whatever stay alive I break some root at few of them to see what happen.