Planting Brassica Seeds
Today we are still harvesting purple sprouting broccoli, and at the same time planting seeds for next year’s crop. In fact we are planting lots of brassica seeds including brussel sprouts and cabbage.
- It is most important to prepare a seed bed to give the best growing conditions for the seeds. Click this link to read about preparing the seed bed.
- Place markers in position at either end of the row, using a tape measure to give the correct row width.
- Gently firm the soil down as shown in preparing the seed bed.
- Use a walk-board, which is not resting on the soil, but supported at either end of the bed. Line the board up with the row markers.
- Draw a seeding groove with a spade. Use the walking board to produce a straight line, & work carefully to get the correct depth.
Sowing Vegetable Seed
- only place a few seeds in the hand
- pinch a few seeds between finger and thumb and work them out
- try to get them dropping singly, not in a bunch
- take plenty of time, as it is worth the result
- make a mark in the row, before taking another pinch of seeds from the hand, as you loose sight of the last seed
- avoid sowing doubles
Cover the seed with fine soil. Then put a few small cobbly bits on top & gently firm in. These lumps help to keep the soil open and prevent capping.
Water the vegetable seeds in.
Hi Top Veg,
Some of my purple sprouting broccoli has now got yellow flowers on it. If I leave these plants in the ground can I successfully get seeds from them for another years planting?
Sara
Comment by Sara - April 24, 2007 9:15 pm
Hi Sara
You will get seeds, but they may not produce similar plants to the ones you have now. If you have grown an F1 hybrid they will not breed true. Happy gardening
TopVeg
Comment by TopVeg - April 25, 2007 12:09 pm
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Hi i have a plot of ground that ive been growing veg on but never seem to be able to get carrot seed to germinate. i have woked in loads of manure and compost.over 5 years the soil is very poor still it dries out quick not very easy trake to a fine tilth if conditoins are right after rain its not to bad but cracks appear when it dries out can you help please if there are any web sites i could read thank you
Comment by BOB FOWLES - September 6, 2007 5:43 am
Hi Bob
It sounds that you are on heavy soil, which is difficult to grow carrots on, if not impossible, because of the problems you are finding. When it rains the soil goes like concrete.
On our heavy soil we have incorporated coarse sand to make it more friable. The sand particles help to keep the clay particles apart. You need a lot of coarse sand to have any effect. You need so much that it is not really practical.
As you have discovered, adding a lot of organic matter does not solve the problem, because you need to add so much.
Carrots have always been grown on sandy soils, or sandy-loams.
One solution is growing them in a container - which you can fill with the perfect growing medium!
Keep in touch and let us know how you get on with next years carrots
TopVeg
Comment by TopVeg - September 7, 2007 7:44 pm
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HI i have some early seed potatoes in a box in the spare room they have chitted very well, but i am a bit conserned as the chitts are 2 inches long on some of them. they look good and strong and dark the leaves are just opening. the potato is a little bit soft can you help please
Comment by BOB FOWLES - March 20, 2008 4:05 pm
Bob
They want to be put in as cool a place as possible with plenty of light. The sun may be coming through the window & heating the space up, or the room may be too dark.
Is it possible to put them outside, under glass, in a light place? Bring them in at night if it looks like a frost.
They need a lot of light, but a very cool temperature!
TopVeg
Comment by TopVeg - March 20, 2008 4:42 pm
Thanks for getting back so prompt you have helped very much
cheers bob
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