Topic: Cauliflowers

[wardy4]

I've been told my cauliflower seedlings are growing too fast and becoming stringy.
Is this the case and can i resolve it.
Cheers

[goodlife]

If you keep your seedlings in warm conditions and if they are not getting quite adequate lighting they will become leggy. So ideally you would move them somewhere bit cooler and under better light. When you prick out the seedlings into larger pots you can 'drop' the seedling deeper into pot..so the seedleaves are just above the compost..almost touching..and then keep them in somewhere cooler and brighter you will get perfect plants.
Even if you plants are bit leggy when it comes to planting outdoors, you can still bury the legs deeper and have sturdier plants ;)

[Ellen K]

I am worried about the same thing happening to my broad beans started this month to replace the autumn sown Aquadulce Claudia which succumbed in the snow and cold at the end of last year.

So I let them just about germinate in a heated propagator then moved them to a windowsill in the unheated spare bedroom in my house.

I think I got away with it but timing is everything.  If your plants have spent too long in the warm and are very leggy you could give this a try after all they grow in to big plants so being a bit long at the base won't matter.

[Ellen K]

(note to self: must learn to type a bit quicker .... or at least read that red notice it shows you when you hit post).

[wardy4]

I had them in an airing cupboard until the started to germinate. I then put them on a window sill and they are about an inch tall. They have only been in about a week. I have now put them back in the dark.
Is this OK

[saddad]

Once the seed leaves are showing they need to be in the light...

[jimtheworzel]

NO!!    get them in the light

[jimtheworzel]

http://www.allotment.org.uk/vegetable/cauliflower/index.php

[wardy4]

point taken back on the window sill

[chriscross1966]

More light and maybe less heat is always the way if a plant is etiolating (posh word for getting leggy). I say maybe cos some uber-tender stuff just packs up and sulks for ages if it gets under about 10 degrees...