[Spr0ut]

I was impressed with the healthy growth of some plug plants I ordered, which were growing in no more than about 2cm cube of fine compost.

I was thinking, if I could find a way to do this I could save a shedload of money not buying so much compost in.

How do they keep the seedlings nourished - anyone know? I am thinking they must be watering with a nutrient solution rather than just water as the compost surely can't be enough to feed the seedling?

I have also known some fellow plotholders to bring on cabbage and cauli seedlings in plug trays no bigger than an inch cube each cell. How's it done?

[brianc]

Try 1/4 strength champak 2 every watering it works with Fuchsias.

[DD.]

I grow brassicas in cells no bigger than that. Fill with muli-purp compost and just drop one seed in each. No extra feed is needed, there is plenty for the plant until it needs potting on into a larger pot.

[Spr0ut]

- just wondering what the likelihood is of a successful transplant from a brassica from a small plug - say one inch cube - straight into the growing bed? Or would the slugs see it off at that size? I guess I answered my own question there!

[DD.]

I grow them on in pots to a reasonable size as my plot has club root. They go out with a decent root ball and this help them grow through it.

[al78]

- just wondering what the likelihood is of a successful transplant from a brassica from a small plug - say one inch cube - straight into the growing bed? Or would the slugs see it off at that size? I guess I answered my own question there!

The slugs would see it off at that size if they got to it but they will see it off anyway unless you pot it on until it is near full size. I have plants in two inch modules and am going to try planting those straight into the plot and treat the bed with slug nematodes prior to transplanting, which should hopefully greatly reduce the mollusc problem. Another method you could try is manufacture barriers out of plastic bottles (cut the top and bottom off) and put those around the transplants, perhaps put a strip of copper tape around the barrier to discourage slugs climbing over it, and put some coarse material inside the barrier (e.g. sharp sand) to make life unpleasant for any slug that gets inside from underground.

[strider84]

I only grow mine to a small size in the modules and the plant them out surrounded by woodash from the wood burner..

Slugs won't go near the seedlings because they hate/can't get over the ash.

If you don't have a woodburner then any scraps on an incinerator might do.

I know they come up through the ground but none have bothered any of my seedlings this year.

[Ma Lowe]

I grow the majority of my seedlings in module trays putting just one seed in each module I then pot on to a bigger pot once big enough.  Have always done it this way and had no problems.

I only grow mine to a small size in the modules and the plant them out surrounded by woodash from the wood burner..

Slugs won't go near the seedlings because they hate/can't get over the ash.

If you don't have a woodburner then any scraps on an incinerator might do.

I know they come up through the ground but none have bothered any of my seedlings this year.

Slugs are eating a few of my cabbages and I have a blue barrel full of woodash from when we trimmed the hedges at the top of the plot. I use the woodash to put around my fruit but never thought to use it around the brassicas. Will give that a try 

[Headgardener22]

Depends a bit on your soil. I grow my brassicas (in fact most of my plants) in 7cm pots because the soil at my allotment is very unforgiving so the plants need to be big enough to get their roots into the soil.

Anything I sow direct has to be sown into compost or it never gets going.

One answer would be to try it, you've probably got more plants than you need.