[johnfh]

I fear I have killed about half of my january king and broccoli seedlings that I planted out yesterday.  Despite being very gentle, I thought, and handling them by the leaves rather than the stem about half the stems seem to have a break in them, but are still attached,in the process of pricking out.  They did not really have any developed true leaves and I have planted some replacements today.  Is therea any rule about how many true leaves plants should have before being pricked out?  Too impatient again!

[DD.]

I wait until they have two true leaves, from what environment did you move them, e.g. greenhouse, propagator, cold frame etc.?

Sounds like they weren't very sturdy.

[Paul Plots]

I always wait for a newly grown plant to have enough leaves for me to gently get hold of and a few to spare. Should I damage one then the plant must be able to carry on happily without noticing its missing.

I think I'd wait until brassicas were a couple of inches  (10cm?) tall before I planted them out.

Some plants are so tiny (lobelia for example) that I try not to get hold of them at all but use a small planting tool (a little like a lolly-stick but curved) to lift them and transplant from the seed tray into growing on position / tray. 

[mumofstig]

are you pricking out to larger containers, or planting outside?
If the latter the RHS suggests 5 true leaves for brassicas

http://apps.rhs.org.uk/advicesearch/Profile.aspx?pid=721

[Kleftiwallah]

 I transfer my seedlings with a ball of soil and never touch the plant itself.  Seems to work for me      Cheers,  Tony.

[barbarella]

You know those little green canes you can buy for pot plants?  I use them to make holes in the compost and then ever so carefully lift a clump of seedlings with a fork (cutlery kind) and gently hold the cotyledons (seed leaves) and tease the seedlings apart by shaking the loose soil off and gently pulling.  Then insert each one into the hole you have made, deeper in the compost if you can, and guiding the roots into the hole with the green cane.  Then gently firm the compost around the seedling with your fingers  or the cane.  I usually then stand the new pots or seed trays in water for a few minutes and leave to drain.  Leave somewhere warm and out of direct sunlight to recover from their ordeal and they should be okay. 

Brassicas do tend to get a bit leggy and seedlng stems are quite vulnerable to breaking - just treat them with kid gloves.  I have been topping up the compost a few days later on my savoy cabbages and purple sprouting, but they are now growing on in pots on a table on the patio, ready for planting out in a few weeks.  Hope that helps. 

[johnfh]

Thanks all for your excellent and comprehensive advice.  Was transferring them from a seed tray in the  cold frame but obviously they were too immature.  Will know next time.

[RichardA]

be sure seedlings are well watered a few hours befoer disturbing
R