now the brassicas are dying! what's wrong?

[antipodes]

Gosh I just don't seem to have much luck with growing cabbagy things from seed!!
I sowed some broccoli and red cabbage and pricked them out once they got their true leaves. Now some of them are shrivelling again!! All my first brussel sprouts died in this way...
Here is a pic of one that is doing this:

Can anyone tell me what I am doing wrong? I guess I might end up buying plugs but that is so expensive... and I had bought the seeds especially this year to try growing from scratch.

[antipodes]

[manicscousers]

I've been putting mine outside as soon as they've germinated, on a shelf somewhere sheltered, it's been very hot in the poly and they're not keen on it  ;D

[Magnolia]

The compost looks very dry.  I try not to soak mine but I also try not to let the soil dry out so that it leaves the edges of the tray.

Does the whole plant die off or is it just the 1st leaves?

[springbok]

My brassicas have done exactly the same thing.

I planted seed direct into the raised beds.  I panicked when I saw the leaves dying, but somewhere on the forum it mentions that the seed leaves dying off is nothing to worry about.

I have noticed it on squashes too.

The second leaves look healthy, so dont worry too much :) 

[Robert_Brenchley]

I can see one with the seed leaf dying but it has a true leaf, so that's normal. Your compost looks very dry; give it a real good soak, and keep it damp-looking, not dry like that.

[antipodes]

hmm perhaps they are thirstier than I thought. It is the first time I have tried growing these from seedlings, last year I confess that I bought in my sprouts and they did very well. If I get at least 6 or 8 growing I will be pleased. It is hard to know where to put them. I have sheltered planters around my windows (in a flat) but they do get a lot of sun. Otherwise it is indoors. Or should I consider making a kind of sheltered position out on the lottie and plonking them outside? There is no shade but I could rig something up of make a seed house for them  :)

[Magnolia]

I've got all my brassica seedlings on my patio table in the garden.  I've just left them to their own devices and they seem quite happy. 

[calendula]

you could let them get a bit bigger and stronger before pricking out as the shock won't be so bad and the root system will be stronger - this is easily damaged when potting on, as are the stems - I let mine grown on to several leaves before pricking out

[Robert_Brenchley]

I let mine get about 2-3 inches high before I think about pricking out. They're less likely to be damaged at that size.

[Tee Gee]

I tend to agree with the others i.e a bit dry and a bit small.

Perhaps this slide show might help.http://tinyurl.com/3awb32

[growmore]

That compost looks very dry to me ..Get a tray without holes and put some water in stand your plants in this  for a few hours. They will then take water up from the bottom. This should sort it for you..

[PurpleHeather]

It has been too hot to keep them in doors. Soak them and put them outside somewhere, at least during the day.

[Chris Graham]

I have the same problem, but not too worried as I have run out of room  ;)

[MrsKP]

lawn up ?   8)

[chilli queen]

All of my brassicas have died - cabbages, PSB and sprouts.   :(
Do they need to be sown in a particular type of soil  (I used gro bag compost)

[manicscousers]

we used jiffy 7's and fibre pots, just with multi purpose compost and have done well , we keep them in the pots until they're 4 to 6" tall then plant them out  :)