Nearly read for pricking out;
(http://pic6.picturetrail.com/VOL164/2042270/3972566/49490970.jpg)
(http://www.honleyvillage.co.uk/images/Community/GardenClub/bYkYhw.gif)
OK - someone has to ask?
How do you get them so short-jointed? Gro-Lamp? = Tim
Na Na Na Na Na, mine are bigger than yours - and I've already pricked them out !!
Yours smugly,
Debs
ooh they look just like the picture i have of turnip seedlings, are you sure they're calabrese? ;) ;D
Okay, good, mine are a touch bigger than that so pricking them out will be this weeks plan. Nice sturdy little b*ggers Gardener. ;D
OK these were sown on the 20th March.
The variety to the left is Chevalier, a new variety for me, its replacing 'Shogun' the one I normally sow.
The other variety is Corvet, a quick growing variety that throws plenty of secondary shoots after the large initial head.
To answer your question Tim, No! grow lights, although 'light' does play a major part.
As with all of my brassicas I use a seed compost of 50-50 silver sand & multi-purpose compost.
I place the seed individually on top of the compost at about 12mm (12") centres, and cover them with a top dressing of compost equivalent to the size of the seed.
I find this method helps with the pricking out and lets more light in around the seedlings when they germinate.
I sit them on the 'hotbed' to give a soil temperature of around 18°C (65°F) ensuring they get maximum daylight.
As soon as they have germinated I get them off the heated surface onto something cooler i.e. 4°-6°C (40°-43°F)
I generally grow them on until I can see the start of the real leaves then I prick them out into individual 70c pots (2 1/2")containg 'potting compost'
At this stage I also sink the seedling right up to its 'seed leaves'
Depending upon 'heated' space I grow them on for a couple of weeks in the greenhouse then get them into the cold frame.
and thats all there is too it!
In 'the olden days', we used to grow one which had very little head, but masses of side shoots. I preferred that, because I find we can't keep up with the heads - just too many to eat before they start to flower. And I don't like buds in my teeth! = Tim
Can't you take your teeth out Tim? ::)
Some! Now let's change the subject!! = Tim