Grow Your Own Magazine

Hi,

Why types of cabbage can i plant in cell plug trays now ready for planting out soon?

I have just got a load of cell trays from Wilko and a new watering can!

Also, when should i be sowing my tomato seeds indoors for planting outside after frosts?

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I'd sow the toms anytime between now and the end of the month as you are far enough south to get away with it. Any cabbages which the seed manufacturers call summer or autumn varieties can go in now. Winter cabbage can be sown later when you have a little more space

My Sweetheart cabbage and Brussels sprouted very quickly in an unheated greenhouse.

Just remember you only need about 40deg F for brassicas. In the house, on the window sill is too warm and they quickly get leggy!

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My Majesty made for him a garden anew in order
to present to him vegetables and all beautiful flowers.- Offerings of Thutmose III to Amon-Ra (1500 BCE)

Yep, any summer or autumn cabbages should be fine.

I've already sown a few Advantage, Duncan, Protovoy & Hispi and they are growing steadily in the greenhouse. A cold frame would probably suffice by the end of the month.

I reckon you could start your tomatoes in a couple of weeks. Give them a little heat (germinate them indoors) and with any luck we'll have a lovely warm April and you can harden them off... and then again perhaps we will have snow

greyhound cabbages are nice.

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im growing ruby ball cabbage and they are in the greenhouse bout an inch tall looking good.they are a compact variety

I've sown Greyhound summer cabbage and a Red winter cabbage. No heat, just in a cold greenhouse.

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How long did they take to germinate in an unheated greenhouse? 1 week? My sowings of cauli, cabbage, PSB and brussel sprouts have been disasterous except for broccoli/calabrese. Don't know what I'm doing so wrong .

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I will start sowing my seeds at the end of the month and the cabbages I am sowing are Hispi, Minicole, Red Drumhead and Derby Day. My winter and Savoy cabbages will be sown later.
As mentioned previously, sowing toms for growing outside is really dictated by where you are based and the potential for late frosts. I will start sowing mine at the beginning of April but they are all going to Garden Centres so I am led by when they want them on their shelves.

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Blog updated Wednesday November 13th

Sprouts 4 days..........cabbage 5 days!

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My Majesty made for him a garden anew in order
to present to him vegetables and all beautiful flowers.- Offerings of Thutmose III to Amon-Ra (1500 BCE)

Most of the brassicas are quick and easy germinators.

Sow seeds in damp compost, no more than half an inch deep, cover with something to keep in the moisture (plastic bag, glass etc) and leave well alone. Temperatures need only be 10-15 degrees. Normally, they should be up within ten days even if it's cool. It usually more like 4-7 days. There is no need to water the seeds until they germinate, and then only when the compost is getting dry. It's easiest to rot the seeds in cold wet conditions.

Remember that, by the law of averages, if you only sow a small number of seeds at a time (which I often do) you may get a couple of slow starters or duff ones. You may get some types of which none germinate in this situation. If you sow the whole packet and nothing comes up then it's either far too cold or the seed is dud.

The F1 varieties tend to be very good starters in my experience while their open-pollinated counterparts can be a little more erratic.