Grow Your Own Magazine

Hello - I'm new to this forum, and fairly new to veggie gardening. I've never had a greenhouse before and recently moved to a house in West Wales which has an unheated one. I have 4 trays of perfect-looking brassica seedlings just getting their first leaves, but I'm in a panic because of this cold snap. It's supposed to be frosty tonight - I'm planning to hang bubble wrapping from the stages on which they sit, but is that enough protection? Should I bring them inside the house, or are they a lot hardier than the tomatoes, etc., (which I got up for at 5.30am to move back into the house during a snow-storm!

Any advice really appreciated,

Mara

Brassicas are perfectly hardy, in fact many people sow them straight into the garden or lottie. Cool weather won't hurt them, in fact they will get very leggy and soft if they're too warm.

Oh good - I won't worry about them tonight them - thanks very much!

We have ours in a heated propagator.
We have been told not to transplant them outside until they have at least 5 true leaves.

Our have just 2 at present. Hopefully by the time the next 3 arrive the weather should have improved.

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Hi Mara, welcome to the vine. Where in West Wales are you?

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Happy Gardening,
Shirley

http://www.honeyjukes.co.uk

Take 'em out, PDQ Cabbage doesn't need heat .. it will make them soft and floppy.

And don't forget to harden off for 7-10 days before you transplant to the great outdoors

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Thanks I'll remember that.
It just that the packet says to give them heat to get started.

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Veg section: Last updated on October 8 2008
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really? They only need to be about 5 degrees Celsius to germinate. I'll do some googling and try to put up a thread about germination temperatures.

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~ What do I think of Western civilisation? I think it would be a very good idea ~ Gandhi

OK thanks.

I just checked the packets again and it does say to give them heat.
However because they could do with hardening off now I have unplugged the propagator and opened the vents.

Thanks for the advice.

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Read our chicken keeping and veg growing diary here:
http://www.naturalaromas.co.uk/the_good_life
Veg section: Last updated on October 8 2008
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I've never used heat for brassicas. In fact I've never used it for anything - I use my kitchen windowsill and get peppers and all sort to germinate. But I agree with Two Sheds that you will get thin floppy growth if you give too much heat and this will suffer when the plants are put outside. I germinate brassicas in a cold frame and they come through surprisingly fast. Don't be too kind!

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www.vegheaven.blogspot.com

Updated November 17th - The Big Dig

I start my brassicas in a cold frame too, early in the spring. Later on I just start them in modules outside on some reduntant shelving to keep them out of the way of slugs. If they do get a bit leggy, when you plant them out, you can plant them deeply so the leaves are just above the soil which makes them a bit more sturdy.

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Sarah

“Tell me one last thing,” said Harry. “Is this real? Or has this been happening inside my head?”
“Of course it is happening inside your head, Harry, but why on earth should that mean that it is not real?”

Good point.
Thanks.

I'm glad I found this site now. Only been here 2 days and already learnt loads.

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Read our chicken keeping and veg growing diary here:
http://www.naturalaromas.co.uk/the_good_life
Veg section: Last updated on October 8 2008
Chicken section: Last updated on April 22 2008

I sowed mine into modules indoors, but potted them on to one per module (they're large-ish modules, not the tiny plugs) a couple of weeks ago. I kept them indoors for about 3 days, to help settle down again, and then put them in my minigreehouse out the back - and there they are staying until I plant them on the plot. I brought my tomatoes and courgettes back in the past couple of nights with the cold, but the brassicas are all still looking fine despite staying outdoors (they are out about a fortnight at this stage).

I usually sow mine in a 1lt pot to get them germinated, then when they have the first pair of true leaves prick out into individual pots 9cm square. Grow on till 2 to 3 inch high then plant out. I don't use any heat at all but do use a cold frame. I hav already planted out 2 types summer cabbage, summer broccoli and another broccoli.

I put my seeds straight in the ground on thursday while i was getting a tan on the lottie now im freezing. !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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why not email me for recipe ideas they are all welcome email at thecookingwizard@yahoo.co.uk

Sorry - I've been out of town and offline shortly after joining this forum. To answer Shirl's question: I'm near Maesllyn (5 miles from Newcastle Emlyn, 8 miles from Llangrannog, 15 miles from Cardigan.) I just moved here last May from California where veggie gardening was a whole different matter! :-)

It seems most of my neighbours grow everything under cover and plant out seedlings rather than sowing directly in the earth, because they need to be *really* fit for battle against the elements and the bugs!

As far as I know the only brassicas that can be a bit fickle are Calabrese. Calabrese is not supposed to be frost hardy, but I must admit, mine stood well into the spring!
I suspect summer cauli's may produce golf ball sized heads if they get a bit of a check as well?
At this time of year though the severity of any frost we have shouldn't be too much to worry about with brassicas!
Funnily enough that's probably the reason why the instructions on my Calabrese seed packet says 'Sow from May onwards'

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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)

Blimey, we lived in the Bay area of San Francisco for too short a while back in 2001 - wonderful place. Which part are you from? Gonna be nosy now and ask what brought you to West Wales?

That makes 3 grapes within travel distance - pipscariad near Trefin, you up there, and me down here on the Cleddau.

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Happy Gardening,
Shirley

http://www.honeyjukes.co.uk

I lived in California 28 years in the Carmel Valley and on the Monterey Peninsula – about two hours south of San Francisco. I actually had always wanted to live in Wales and it was only by chance that I ended up in the States. My work is writing and teaching about Celtic and British sacred and magical traditions, so I was always steeped in the lore of my native land and finally just had to come back. J

When I first moved to the Carmel Valley, I grew a biodynamic garden with lots of beans, tomatoes, basil, and 6 feet high corn. But there were definitely problems – f’rinstance with gophers, the little devils who burrow underground and whip your fine veggie plant literally from out under your feet.: it’s the weirdest thing to see your precious tomato plant disappearing into the ground!

Chalice Centre for Celtic and Western Magical Traditions