Brassica Seedlings

[oneflewover]

Hi all,

7 days ago I started off my first ever seeds. They have shot up. My question is; have they shot up too much and is it now that I re-pot them? How deep do you pot them, upto the leaves?

The picture is of Green Magic calabrase. Are they "leggy" my red cabbage Kalibos and Kohl Rabi look the same. They have been on a window sill but covered with newspaper. They are about 2" tall. Are these right or wrong?

Your help will be much appreciated.

[Flummery]

They need light. Brassicas don't actually need to be indoors to germinate. They should go into a coldframe or cold greenhouse if you have one, or alternatively, out in the day and in at night for a weeks or so. I don't pot things on until they have some of their true leaves. These just have seed leaves so I'd leave them a bit longer. I also never cover seeds with newspaper. A light sprinkling of compost over the seeds is all I use.

[rustylady]

They're too warm and wet, with not enough light. Have you a cold greenhouse or frame? They need slowing down a bit. When they have some true leaves you can prick them out into individual pots or cells, dropping them in to the level of the lowest leaves.

[gigleypants]

If its any help my 1st ones did the same ... just pop them outside in a cold frame or one of the cheap plastic small greenhouses would be just as good ... thats what I did and after about a week new leaves started to grow hardened them off and planted them up to their little necks (well their leaves) and got really nice crop from them ... main thing is dont lose heart most things we do wrong we learn from and most of us have done it lol

[Snadger]

My brussel sprouts and cabbage were sown in 6" pots in the greenhouse without heat, here in NE England and thay were up within 4 days and are short healthy looking plants.

If the seed wasn't expensive F1 stuff or if you have some left I would ditch them and sow again. Even outdoors with six bricks and a pane of glass over the top or in a cheap plastic propagator they will germinate quickly and you will have strong sturdy plants.

[oneflewover]

Thanks all for your assistance. I shall try again outside, the window is south facing and does get very warm.

A friend of mine who is a gamekeeper and regularly dispatches animals, says "don't grow veg, it is heartbreaking" I think I know what he means!

Paul