Rubbish summer cabbages

[jonny211]

Hi all,

I've not had much luck starting cabbages from seed (first time this year). I've tried starting Excel and Wheelers Imperial, and despite a couple of months growing on a south facing windowsill they've not got past the true two-leaf stage and have reamined very small. Thinking the house may be too warm I moved some into the greenhouse and they still didn't grow.

I've started them both off in a marg tub and in peat pots but no luck with either pot.

I've given in and bought some from the garden centre... but what am I doing wrong? How does eveyone else start theirs off?

Cheerio.

Jon

[jonny211]

[markfield rover]

Quite a few of our plants are sitting still at the moment,in a week or two I expect things to get going, do not give up just yet!

[Paulines7]

I too haven't had any luck with Wheelers Imperial and it's also my first time trying to grow summer cabbages.   

The seeds germinated on a windowledge and got to the size when I could prick them out and put them in 3" pots.  After doing this, they died on me.  I have sown some more in modules and have two tiny leaves on them.  They are in an unheated greenhouse this time but shaded from the hot sun.  I too would welcome any advice on where and how they should be grown.  I haven't got the plot ready yet so couldn't sow them direct.

[calendula]

you shouldn't really need to start brassicas off in the warm - outside will do fine, in trays or modules - maybe the seeds are not viable, maybe they don't like peat pots. Sow some more in something else and see what happens, there's plenty of time  :)

[PurpleHeather]

Rule one

Do not rush seeds.

They will grow when they are ready

[davyw1]

If you are not having much luck with the germination of your cabbages have a think about what you have done.
Was the seed in date.
What make of compost did you use, a cheepo from B&Q or good one IE Livingston's.
What depth did you plant the seed.  It only need a quarter of an inch of compost on top of the seed.
Did you cover the tray with glass or polythene to create condensation to keep the compost  moist.
Did you cover the polythene and tray with paper to exclude the light.
When potting them on did you use potting compost or multipurpose.
Did you top water the plant and it became wet as apposed to moist, or bottom water to try and make the root search for moisture.
Just a few things you should consider

[Plot69]

I sowed all my PSB, brussels and cauli's in trays in the greenhouse with no extra heat and they're all up. Like Calendula said, brassicas don't need much heat to germinate, in fact too much can impede them.

Give em time.

[Paulines7]

I didn't have a germination problem and from reading Jon's post I don't think he did either.  Mine was a new seed packet and all those I sowed germinated but something was lacking in the aftercare.

[tim]

On top of that, I'm amazed how drawn up the plants are this year - in full light.

[Robert_Brenchley]

Mine are coming up like mad in the mini-greenhouses. I'll be moving them out very shortly and leaving them under cloches to make room for beans and squashes.

[Mothy]

Tim, my latest batch of Greyhound cabbage are leggy too. 1st lot are in the ground though.
Is it the low temperatures?

[jonny211]

I didn't have a germination problem and from reading Jon's post I don't think he did either.  Mine was a new seed packet and all those I sowed germinated but something was lacking in the aftercare.

Yes, my problem exactly... seeds had a very good germination rate but stopped growing soon after clearing the soil and developing the first two true leaves.

Still, Wyvale to the rescue  ;)

Jon

[glosterwomble]

me too!!! I've had exactly the same problems! Grew quickly then went all leggy and stopped growing until they died.

[jonny211]

Hi,

I thought I'd update this topic, I planted out some of my two leaf 'rubbish' cabbages that I started back in Feb in the house in peat pots and they've now grown into full size cabbages - and plants started at the same time but not planted on into the ground are still at the two leaf stage.

So it seems that unlike my Calabrese which grew on much further in a peat pot cabbages perhaps prefer to be planted out to grow on.

Cheers!

Jon

[antipodes]

My seedling were looking peaky and TeeGee (garden hero) told me to get them outside. I put them in larger pots and out the window they went. They did much better almost immediately. My smallish plants did even better once I planted them out into a corner of the plot, before mobing them to their permanent positions. They were nestled near the salads so as not to be too exposed - in just a fortnight they had doubled in size and looked much "fresher".
It sounds like you might be coddling them too much?
I think that next year I will try sowing brassicas directly in a nursery bed with a bit of shelter, instead of fiddling about with pot and trays. Last year Romanesco broccoli was successful like that too...

[jonny211]

Yep, I think the nursery bed's the best place for them rather than the windowsill.... leaves me more room to start more tomatoes then  ;)

[glosterwomble]

I started some more brassicas off in a nursery bed at the beginning of last month and they have done great, I transplanted them the other day (should have done it sooner they are getting big!) I will definitely try it this way next year I reckon, I did, Romanesco, PSB, Calabrese, Wok broc (summer sprouting) swede and savoy.

[Tee Gee]

As soon as any my brassica seeds have germinated and been pricked out, they go out in the cold frame.

This way you will get well hardened off compact plants ready for planting out in a about 8 weeks.