[matt1234]

Hi, this is my first time growing anything (I'm a 21 yr old!) and I have basically got stuck right in and grown everything that I can possibly think of. I have read and read so hopefully I'll have some success this year.

Now to my question, I have put my broccoli outside today, but I realised when transplanting them that I couldn't possibly plant them singly (prick them) because the root system is so packed together that they would probably die if I tried to seperate them. So I've just planted them in bunches as can be seen from the pics below. Is this OK, or will they not take off at all?

Also I was wondering about my spacing. I know that brassicas take an awful lot of space but is what I've given them sufficient or do they need more once they do take off?

Thanks for any help!







Oh, and I thought I would add in a picture of my first ever harvest! (lettuce)

[SalJ1980]

Hi Matt, I can't help with your broccoli query I'm afraid as I don't have enough space to grow it myself, but congrats on your first harvest! 

[SG6]

You will have to thin them to single plants.
If they stay in a bunch then they will compete against each other and overall they will not do as well. 

My opinion is you will have to dig them up, pull them apart, as gently as reasonable then replant them individually. 

They will need to be about a foot apart when planted separately. The ground thy are in needs to be firm. So make sure the ground is firm (walk on it), plant them then water in. Then wait and see.

[DD.]

If they are purple sprouters, I'd say a foot apart is too close. These things can grow 3' high and I plant mine 3 feet apart.

But definately the last thing you want is a clump of them.

Dig them up, gently swill off the compost/soil in a water. The roots will untagle more easily.

Pot them up singly into 3" pots, then plant them out again when they are about 6" high.

[gillie]

You sowed far too many seeds! two or three in each pot/module thinned to one is plenty.

If they are the summer calabrese type broccoli they hate root disturbance so what I would do is get a pair of scissors and snip off all but a couple in each clump.  Then as they grow choose the best and snip off the also rans, so that you are down to one strong plant at each station.  You might need to take out each alternate bunch to give the others more room.

Now you must hate me.

Gillie

[Christine]

Ah but it's an easy mistake with broccoli to do this first time! Been there, done that last year as a first timer so this year went down the route of putting some in seed trays, potting on into little pots and planting out when they were outgrowing them. 

[Ice]

Growing stuff is a never ending learning curve so don't worry and do it different next time.  When I first started growing my own veg I gave myself a five year plan to get everything right.  Hmmmmm, still havn't and still learning.   

[sloworm]

it is my first time growing and I have planted way too many seeds but have very willing friends to take them off my hands and give them good homes  As you all say it is a learning curve but a very enjoyable one and the knowledge available here is amazing so thanx all...

[sunshineband]

Don't worry Matt, DD has made a suggestion here to help you put it right and no harm done 

You will need to keep the transplated seedlings well watered in it is hot or windy or they might collapse, and you could cover them with fleece for a day or two to protect them as well, if you like.

Yours are already ahead of mine,  'cos the seeds only went in on Friday last week 
Salad leaves look good yumyum 

[Kristen]

I'm in the "cut off the spares" camp too. I think digging them up, separating them, potting them on, and then replanting is going to stress the plants quite a lot.

Mind you, you could do that with one clump ... if the plants you grow in pots, from that, do better than the ones in the soil you can always "murder" them later, and go with the lifted & separated ones instead.

Initially leave 2 or 3 in each clump, then in a week or two thin to no more than two, and a week or so later decide on the strongest one.  I have often seen the advice to "Remove the weakest one" but in practice 99% of the time they are identical, so it will be the one with the straightest stem, or that is "more in the middle" or somesuch that makes the choice for you.

[sunshineband]

Oh, and if the seedling you remove are still crispy leaved, you can eat them