[Totty]

Hi all. I had our plot roughly planned out by the start of winter and proceeded to lavish every bit of land with plenty of manure, all but the piece put back for root veg that is!
 I only plan to grow sprouts(Montgomerie F1) and some January kings later in the year, but have been told that even if i firm the ground well, the nitrogen produced through adding the manure will cause the sprouts to grow very lefy and cause the sprouts to blow. Is there anything i can do to solve this, planting something to harvest before the sprout plants get transplanted for instance?

Totty

[VirginVegGrower]

Hi all. I had our plot roughly planned out by the start of winter and proceeded to lavish every bit of land with plenty of manure, all but the piece put back for root veg that is!
 I only plan to grow sprouts(Montgomerie F1) and some January kings later in the year, but have been told that even if i firm the ground well, the nitrogen produced through adding the manure will cause the sprouts to grow very lefy and cause the sprouts to blow. Is there anything i can do to solve this, planting something to harvest before the sprout plants get transplanted for instance?

Totty

Add lime!

[Totty]

Adding lime will lessen the nitrogen?

[Yorkie]

I'm not sure I understand the answer either.  Could you explain your reasoning, please, VVG? 

[TheSpartacat]

I don't think manure would have too much nitrogen in it for sprouts, so don't think it'll be a problem. If you do intend to add more fertiliser to it i would recommend using a low nitrogen fertiliser though?

Regarding Virgin Veg Growers point about lime.... manure can make the soil more acidic, and liming it would help the sprouts take up nutrients better, as they prefer it more alkaline... but lime wouldn't reduce nitrogen levels.
I would imagine that overly acidic soil would cause more problems for your sprouts than nitrogen.

[TheSpartacat]

Just had an idea.... if putting fresh compostables on the soil 'locks up' nitrogen... how about putting down a wood shaving or newspaper mulch (or dig it into the soil) of some kind to 'lock' up the nitrogen while it's breaking it down?

[Paul Plots]

Hi all. I had our plot roughly planned out by the start of winter and proceeded to lavish every bit of land with plenty of manure, all but the piece put back for root veg that is!
 I only plan to grow sprouts(Montgomerie F1) and some January kings later in the year, but have been told that even if i firm the ground well, the nitrogen produced through adding the manure will cause the sprouts to grow very lefy and cause the sprouts to blow. Is there anything i can do to solve this, planting something to harvest before the sprout plants get transplanted for instance?

Totty

Add lime!

Just a twist or a whole slice?

Sorry...... it just came to me in a flash.  Perhaps better it hadn't. 

[TheSpartacat]

Hi all. I had our plot roughly planned out by the start of winter and proceeded to lavish every bit of land with plenty of manure, all but the piece put back for root veg that is!
 I only plan to grow sprouts(Montgomerie F1) and some January kings later in the year, but have been told that even if i firm the ground well, the nitrogen produced through adding the manure will cause the sprouts to grow very lefy and cause the sprouts to blow. Is there anything i can do to solve this, planting something to harvest before the sprout plants get transplanted for instance?

Totty

Add lime!

Just a twist or a whole slice?

Sorry...... it just came to me in a flash.  Perhaps better it hadn't. 

LOL, now THAT kinda lime would make the soil more acidic!! 

[Paul Plots]

Hi all. I had our plot roughly planned out by the start of winter and proceeded to lavish every bit of land with plenty of manure, all but the piece put back for root veg that is!
 I only plan to grow sprouts(Montgomerie F1) and some January kings later in the year, but have been told that even if i firm the ground well, the nitrogen produced through adding the manure will cause the sprouts to grow very lefy and cause the sprouts to blow. Is there anything i can do to solve this, planting something to harvest before the sprout plants get transplanted for instance?

Totty

Add lime!

Just a twist or a whole slice?

Sorry...... it just came to me in a flash.  Perhaps better it hadn't. 

LOL, now THAT kinda lime would make the soil more acidic!! 

I liked your reasoning with the "locking up" of nirtrogen by using materials that will decompose and snatch the nitrogen. 

And as for the twist of lime causing acid.... it helps if you soak it in alcohol first I've heard   

[DD.]

Have a look at this from this very site.

http://www.allotment-garden.org/vegetable/brassicas/index.php

Note in particular the bit that says..

"The ideal brassica bed needs both nitrogen and humus so the addition of manure in autumn will accomplish both."

So I can't see that you've done any thing wrong!

You only need to lime if your soil is acidic or you have a club root problem. You shouldn't do the two at the same time.

[Salmo]

I am with DDon this. Go ahead and plant your sprouts. Just make sure they go into firm ground. They do not like it fluffy.

Not sure why sprouts sometimes decide to blow. Could be something to do with watering. Drought stress or too much water?

[DD.]

I am with DDon this.

You don't have to sound so reluctant!

I think sprouts planted too early tend to blow as the sprouts are developing in the warmer weather and they do it too quickly. Far better in my book for them to be developing in the cooler autumn weather, rather than summer.

[Kristen]

Not sure why sprouts sometimes decide to blow.

Me neither, but from what I have read:

Rocking in the wind - so stake them if that might be a problem

Ground not firm enough - apparently the roots have very fine hairs and they get damaged if there is movement in the soil - probably aggravated by rocking in the wind.  So firm the soil before planting. (Always goes against the grain for me because it must be harder for the roots to grow through concrete-like soil, than the nice fluffly stuff I give the other veg plants.)

[Christine]

And they do like watering in dry conditions.

[azubah]

I never got a decent crop of sprouts until last year.,
..The secret of my success was pigeon manure. It is very high in nitrogen and the pong of ammonia in it nearly knocks your head off.
Sprouts are made of leaves so plenty of nitrogen must be what they want.
It is also very soluble so will get washed out by the rain fairly quickly.
I bet your sprouts will be the best on the plot!