Planting out modules (sown in feb)

[Green pastureParticipant]

Hi all,
Completely new to veg growing this year.
As per the book advice I planted a variety of hardy veg on the first weekend after valentines day (into wyevale peat free). They spent the first 3 weeks on the windowsill and were then moved to a plastic greenhouse. There wasn’t much germination at this point and since then most have germinated minus some lettuce seeds that came free with a magazine.
My seedlings have only just started to make true leaves and look pretty sorry for themselves in general, especially compared to the good size plants in the videos. The book says 4 weeks from sowing but I fear I am well past that, and I’m not sure whether I should continue to wait for bigger plants or just get them in the ground. They will be at our new allotment so I will not be able to fend off the slugs easily.
Also, was it something I did wrong, i’d like to stop this happening again? For example are the modules too small? Could I have over/under watered? Is the compost bad? Is just the indecisive weather?
Any advice gratefully received.
Photos : https://photos.app.goo.gl/NXfwJEJdZoEneJJz1
https://photos.app.goo.gl/kwIsWcRcb0Mx8tUI2
Dave

[HazelkyParticipant]

Hi Dave,
I think it is nothing you are doing wrong, it’s just the weather. It is so cold and so little sun. My seedlings I have put in the ground are doing very little, so far. I am cloching them at night with plastic bottles cut in half to keep the slugs at bay. It’s a pain putting them on and off, but they are not getting eaten.
My lettuces in modules, even in the polytunnel, are still very small. I think the plastic greenhouses offer shelter from the cold winds but still very cold at night. The forecast does not offer much cheer for the next days either.
You might try a bit of fleece over them at night. If your soil on the plot is still very cold, they may not fare well planted out just yet.
Some peoples do rain dances, we need to do sun dances and get the temperature to rise!

[Green pastureParticipant]

It’s heartening to hear I’m not the only one, and glad to hear you are getting one over on the slugs! They have all but destroyed a young hydrangea we heeled-in in the back garden.

I see from other threads there have been germination issues. Some of my seeds took a month to surface, even with 3 weeks on the windowsill. This has led to the faster ones being quite leggy. I think soil-wise we are OK, here in Sussex. The weeds are certainly going for it anyway! I will try some fleece at night, you are right that it gets the extremes in the plastic shelter, registered 35 during the hot spell and is only protected from the wind at night, albeit placed against a south facing wall. This was only a temporary measure while I procured a suitable second hand greenhouse.

I do wonder about compost quality. These were sown in last year’s peat free that had been standing (unopened) behind the shed since the early autumn. I also did not bother to sieve and I noticed some seedlings struggling to push out from under larger lumps. Last time I tried sieved, I was left with some badly draining “mud” so now avoid it.

[CleansweepParticipant]

Hi Greenpasture,
Welcome to this world! As a Sussex boy, I shall follow your progress with interest
I consider that your seedlings look sturdy, healthy and just need more time. Treat yourself to another* bag of compost and sow some more.Also pot- on one of your first plants into new compost while re-potting another into another pot of the original bag of compost as a control The Wyevale may have been around (behind a WYEVALE shed) before you got it!
*Personally find Wickes MP compost cost effective-its ‘about £4 ‘for 70 litres
Cleansweep

[HazelkyParticipant]

Hi Dave,
Adding vermiculite or perlite, Charles like vermiculite, to your sowing compost helps the draining and lumpy issues. I saw somewhere on the forum that making a little fingertip hollow and putting seed in that without covering worked well – a little moist chamber. I’m experimenting with it.
Old compost is not good news for seedlings, but you could spread as a mulch or put in as layers in your compost bin.
Out on the soggy plot this morning, but at least it wasn’t raining. The autumn sown plants are not phased by this cold and rainy period. I have kale, purple sprouting broccoli, Kallettes, spinach, lettuce to pick from last year, with broad beans sown November now flowering, chard beetroot and carrots coming along.
Warmer weather is coming, happy planting

[Green pastureParticipant]

I’ve just caught up with Charles’ last few blogs and I see that the April posts cover this very topic (slow growth etc), and there are some videos to catch up on too. After seeing Charles mention overwatering can be a problem with seedlings, I have since taken the module inserts out of the trays to aid drainage as some of them were standing in just a bit of water. In any case we now have most showing the tiniest second leaves but the Raab broccoli looks quite leggy. Thanks both for your input, I’m glad I waited a bit.

Cleansweep, I looked around at the start of the year and did some sums and went with Wyevale due to their performance in Which trials, which I read at the library. Turns out Which don’t rate their peat free mix very well. Joining Wyevale points card scheme, I seem to get an endless supply of vouchers for money off and combined with their 4 for 3 offer, this year I have been buying 4x 75l for £20 which works out to 6.7p a litre, and cheaper than a bulk bag delivered. I’ve done a few batches of this now and slowly mulching the allotment as we clear.

Hazelky, Great to hear the success on your plot, you’re selling the dream there! I do have some vermiculite (poundland) and will try adding in the next batch (hopefully this weekend).

[Author]

Posts