[Kim Taaffe]

Hi there

We're newbies, it is our second year of allotment ownership and we love it.   This year we want to grow from seeds.   We have purchased seeds - beetroot, broad beans, runner beans, cauliflower and wondered what's the best way to sow indoors to get them started?

[strangerachael]

I can't really comment on beetroot as I don't grow it but as for the others: it is too early to start runner beans, they grow really quickly and it would be far too early to plant them out outdoors. Leave them until about May. As for broad beans and cauliflower - if you are growing in the house it may be too warm for them, but a greenhouse  would be ok I think. Or in a very cool, unheated room on a very well lit windowsill. If they don't get enough light they will get  leggy.

[Kristen]

We have purchased seeds - beetroot, broad beans, runner beans, cauliflower and wondered what's the best way to sow indoors to get them started?

beetroot - I grow 3 per 3" / 9cm pot, and plant out when large enough, then pull two as "thinnings" and let the third grow larger.  Don't leave them in the pots too long because, being a root crop, they aren't the best things to transplant.

broad beans - I start off a Winter variety in January (now will be fine too) - my preferecne is Aquadulce. If you have a Spring variety then you could wait a bit longer (but the spring sown ones are more prone to attach by black fly, this is avoided on Winter sown ones by pinching out the top - which is what the black fly like to eat ). I soak the seed for 24 hours then plant one-per-3" pot and leave them somewhere warm-ish (not airing cupboard!) usually in the kitchen or utility room - around 16C should be OK, but a bit more heat (18-20C) until they germinate is fine, then cooler - once they are an inch tall they can go outside during the day, but don't give them too much shock - so out on moderate days, in for the night, after a week they can stay out (but you might bring them in for the night if we get Arctic weather! ...), plant out when they are 3" - 4" high

runner beans - I grow two per 3" pot (most people grow them in modules, but I think they get more disturbance than necessary that way). I sow mine first week of May and plant out 3 weeks later. They need to be planted out after the last frost, and the earlier you are the more they sulk in the cold! so don't be too hasty.  Or plant half a week later so that the early ones can take their chances. I plant the pot at the base of a cane (i.e. two plants per cane) and sow an additional seed at the same time - that will come along later for a "second crop". (I do the same with climbing French Beans)

cauliflower - the harvest is only about two weeks from first-to-last, so I grow 4 (each one in a 3" pot) every fortnight (because we used about 4 Cauliflowers a fortnight).  Many people find Cauliflower harder to grow. The variety Candid Charm seems to have been popular with people on this forum (i.e. it is considered "easier" than some others). Try not to give them too much heat to germinate, they will just get leggy. Plant out when the pot is nicely filled with roots (if you have Club Root then pot them on into larger pots, and plant them out as larger plants into holes which have been limed)

Make sure all your seedlings have lots of light. If they are on a windowsill cut a cardboard box in half, line it with tinfoil, and put behind the pots to reflect light onto them - or an old mirror if you have one.

[Stevens706]

I agree with Kristen with one exception I sow beetroot direct into the ground, I never have any problems with germination - touch wood

[Kristen]

Indeed. Absolutely nothing wrong with sowing it in the ground!

My preference is to raise everything in pots. I have more control over the germination period, no gaps in the rows, and when I plant them out, into clean beds, they have a flying start overt he weeds.

But most people would consider it a lot of "faff". (I wonder if its much more faff than preparing a seed bed / drill and carefully weeding before the seedlings are "up", and I save something on the amount of seed i use - and spend some on multi-purpose compost, so I think its even-Stevens, albeit that I am starting from a biased-viewing position!)

[Ian_A]

But most people would consider it a lot of "faff". (I wonder if its much more faff than preparing a seed bed / drill and carefully weeding before the seedlings are "up", and I save something on the amount of seed i use - and spend some on multi-purpose compost, so I think its even-Stevens, albeit that I am starting from a biased-viewing position!)

There is indeed something satisfying when sowing in pots and planting those out - especially if you're not planting in bulk (unless you have millions of window sills about the house!). But it's horses for courses: I prefer to sow direct for those veg that can be sown direct - you can sow a few 5m rows of seeds in next to no time - no need with a proper, perfect drill in my experience. There is something also very satisfying when you see your sowed row germinate in the ground.

[bigben]

I found these paper pots a great help in starting a lot of things of before planting out
http://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?topic=11390.0

[Kristen]

There is indeed something satisfying when sowing in pots and planting those out - especially if you're not planting in bulk (unless you have millions of window sills about the house!).

I wasn't going to mention the feel-good factor of having visitors in the Spring seeing my rows-and-rows of veg plants waiting to be planted out an being impressed(well, I assume they are impressed, they say that they are!)

I suppose I ought to do a side-by-side test and see if there is any difference ...

you can sow a few 5m rows of seeds in next to no time - no need with a proper, perfect drill in my experience.

You have better soil than me then. On our heavy soil the weather has to be right, and even when it is if there is no rain shortly thereafter you will have a set-like-concrete "pan" over the top of your nice seed drill

[Kim Taaffe]

Many, many thanks for all your very helpful replies.

Kim