[ptarmigan]

I have a load of PSB and Sprouts in pots at home.  Going on holiday next week for 2 weeks and no one to reliably water them. There's no room for them until the new pots and onions come out - and they don't look like they'll be ready to come out till after come back from holiday. 

Do I

a) pot them on to bigger pots and cross fingers.

b) put them fairly close together where I have space at the allotment as a kind of 'seed bed' , cover with netting, and then plant them out at proper spacings when I have freed up some room in the beds after coming back from holiday in 2 weeks. 

[simonwatson]

Outside under netting in a cool shady spot is what I'd do I think. If you've got some capillary matting or an old wool or felt blanket that you could put them on, with the other end of the material in a big bucket of water that would help too.

[ptarmigan]

Ta, I could do that with capillary matting and pots at home.

At the allotment though I was thinking of actually planting them in the ground so they can get at any available water. I just wondered would that be too many transplants if I then planted them out again.

[simonwatson]

If it's very dry, you'd still need to water them in the seed bed until they put down deeper roots, so I don't think you'd gain anything.

As for the root disturbance, I can't comment on that as I always sow in pots and transplant to the final position.

[ptarmigan]

Ta, it's kind of swings and roundabouts.  I think I'll leave at home in a shady spot and try and get in laws to water when they are feeding the cat!

[Eightball]

what size pots are they in? if you pot them up and put some mulch on the surface and leave them in a shaded area they shouldn't need too many waters.