Can I grow kale seedlings in a tray?

jacnal · « **on:** August 16, 2007, 11:12 »

Or do I have to do pots? I've managed to get seeds, albeit for curly kale rather than flat leaf. Any suggestions?

Celtic Eagle · « **Reply #1 on:** August 16, 2007, 12:34 »

Hi Jac

Well Yes you can start them in a tray as you can with most things and it will work. Meself I'd use a 3inch pot as that should hold enough seedlings

Knulpuk · « **Reply #2 on:** August 16, 2007, 12:41 »

This year started off in trays then picked the best specimens and planted out into pots (all in the greenhouse) and then hardened off for a week or so outside then planted them out.

They all died.

No not really they all seem very healthy - much more success than simply sowing the seeds outside which we did last year.

muntjac · « **Reply #3 on:** August 16, 2007, 15:20 »

sow outside only

yummy · « **Reply #4 on:** August 16, 2007, 16:10 »

I have cheated with kale and bought some young plants from Rocket Gardens. They came yesterday and look good.

We are a bit behind, having been flooded 3 times and having spent the past 3 weeks decorating the house we have not been starting off any seedlings or doing much on the allotment at all. I tried at the weekend but got soaked to the skin.

Also bought chard as consolation prize cos relative dug last lot up by accident.

*end of guilty rant for having not grown something from seed myself*

Aunt Sally · « **Reply #5 on:** August 16, 2007, 16:24 »

Quote from: "muntjac"

sow outside only

Why's that Munty :?: I started mine off in cells then into pots and they are doing well on the lottie now :!:

muntjac · « **Reply #6 on:** August 16, 2007, 16:33 »

cos i like to give em the soil they growing in sally .cos they brassicas ,n its not unknown for bought in compost to carry club root n the like is all . see my growing tips

Aunt Sally · « **Reply #7 on:** August 16, 2007, 18:20 »

Ahh... phew. I sowed them myself in fresh JI compost

jacnal · « **Reply #8 on:** August 16, 2007, 21:03 »

Thanks all for the tips.

I sowed them in loo roll cardboard placed in a tray, so have done both

.

Hope they do better than the broccoli which started of very skinny and wiry. Planted those out today, so fingers crossed. They were all bendy, but I dug deep holes and filled soil up to where they are straight.

Another question peeps.....

With the really skinny stems - is that because I should have transplanted fron orginal sowed pots to bigger pots? I'll dig out a pic I took when they sprouted - they were all tangled and broke when I tried detangling, so I just left them till they were stronger, but it was too late to do anything apart from wait some more and plant into ground. Is the skinnyness a regular normal occurence?

Yummy - I might order some flat leaf kale from Rocket Gardens. I'll google now...

Munty, I used bought compost, but so far so good. When is the earliest you notice club root?

muntjac · « **Reply #9 on:** August 16, 2007, 22:13 »

the reason plants become leggy is they are not getting enough light in a tight situation such as a tray then fight to grow higher than the nieghbour the heat can also force them to grow to fast .i find this with all brassicas especially cauli's.planting them in a drill outside makes them grow slower and evenly

club root shows itself by stunted growth ,and then the base stem shows malformation at the soil level and below

Aunt Sally · « **Reply #10 on:** August 16, 2007, 22:37 »

Quote from: "muntjac"

planting them in a drill outside makes them grow slower and evenly

Gottya - more light, lower temperature

jacnal · « **Reply #11 on:** August 17, 2007, 10:22 »

Munty, you seem to know exactly what I'm on about, and thank God you are as your explanations are spot on! Couldn't find the photos - must have deleted by mistake.

The pots were in trugs - green trug for the green broccoli and purple trug for the purple sprouting broccoli

. Thought I was being smart :roll: :oops: . I also had about 4 plants per little pot and I still have problems thinning as I feel I'm being ungrateful for the plants. Silly I know :oops: ! And they were in the shed too. I'm so fortunate they even germinated AND survived by the sound of things.

With the kale - I've left them outside and as they are in idividual cardboard 'pots', I could put them into the ground as soon as I've got the space ready, but I'll wait for germination anyhow - just for my satisfaction. I hope they do better......

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