Every book that I've read about veg. stipulates growing brassica seeds
either in trays or a seed bed and later transplanting.

I know that germination rates can be iffy, and that doing things this
way means that you can transplant the healthiest plants, but are there
any other reasons for *not* direct sowing?

Why would it be such a bad idea to plant (say) four seeds at each
station in the destination bed in the first place, and later thin out
in-situ?

Any feedback welcome - nobody I've asked knows why this would be a bad
idea, just that they've always done it differently...

Thanks,
Patrick

The only reasons I can think of a
1) Weeds. You would need to pull out any competing weeds as they appeared before
they swamped the brassicas.
2) Pidgeons. They are partial to brassicas - the smaller and jucier the better!
Many years ago I had a Summer job working on a farm where Kale was grown as cattle
feed. This was sown directly into the field - I'm sure commercial brassica growers
must also sow directly. I had the extremely tedious job of "striking and singling"
about two acres of Kale seedlings with a hoe - leaving one plant every hoe width
(about six inches). It took days. I remember closing my eyes when I got home and
could still see the plants!
--
Drakanthus.


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