Hi all,
I've been lurking for awhile and learning alot. I'm an American
non-gardener now studying in Durham and catching the gardening bug.
Thanks for sharing the richness of your community!

I've got some Brussels sprouts seedlings on the windowsill that I hope
to plant out in a few weeks and I'm trying to decide where to put them.
I've got a fence on the north side of the garden and was thinking of
putting a row along the south side of the fence. Two questions:

(1) How close to the fence can I plant them? I'm trying to keep from
using up too much of the vegetable patch along that fence.

(2) I think I read somewhere that they should be planted out deeper than
they are in the pots -- with the soil coming up to the first leaves on
the stalk. Did I dream that up or am I remembering correctly? The
seedlings have gotten kind of floppy, so I expect this will help them
stand better.

many thanks for any advice,
Rob

"Rob Barrett" wrote
Hi all,
I've been lurking for awhile and learning alot. I'm an American
non-gardener now studying in Durham and catching the gardening bug. Thanks
for sharing the richness of your community!

I've got some Brussels sprouts seedlings on the windowsill that I hope to
plant out in a few weeks and I'm trying to decide where to put them. I've
got a fence on the north side of the garden and was thinking of putting a
row along the south side of the fence. Two questions:

(1) How close to the fence can I plant them? I'm trying to keep from
using up too much of the vegetable patch along that fence.

(2) I think I read somewhere that they should be planted out deeper than
they are in the pots -- with the soil coming up to the first leaves on the
stalk. Did I dream that up or am I remembering correctly? The seedlings
have gotten kind of floppy, so I expect this will help them stand better.


I haven't planted mine yet!
You will need to be careful as there is still the possibility of cold
weather and as your plants have been kept indoors they won't be able to
cope.
To get over this, for a week or so keep them in at night and put them our
during the day to get used to the great outdoors.
1. A S. facing fence may be too hot for them but it's worth a try. I
wouldn't plant closer than 2ft to the fence to allow the leaves to grow. You
can grow lettuce around them as they grow anyway.
2. That's what I do with all my brassica seedlings, and firm them/puddle
them in well.

--
Regards
Bob Hobden
17mls W. of London.UK

Bob Hobden wrote:
"Rob Barrett" wrote
Hi all,
I've been lurking for awhile and learning alot. I'm an American
non-gardener now studying in Durham and catching the gardening bug. Thanks
for sharing the richness of your community!

I've got some Brussels sprouts seedlings on the windowsill that I hope to
plant out in a few weeks and I'm trying to decide where to put them. I've
got a fence on the north side of the garden and was thinking of putting a
row along the south side of the fence. Two questions:

(1) How close to the fence can I plant them? I'm trying to keep from
using up too much of the vegetable patch along that fence.

(2) I think I read somewhere that they should be planted out deeper than
they are in the pots -- with the soil coming up to the first leaves on the
stalk. Did I dream that up or am I remembering correctly? The seedlings
have gotten kind of floppy, so I expect this will help them stand better.


I haven't planted mine yet!
You will need to be careful as there is still the possibility of cold
weather and as your plants have been kept indoors they won't be able to
cope.
To get over this, for a week or so keep them in at night and put them our
during the day to get used to the great outdoors.
1. A S. facing fence may be too hot for them but it's worth a try. I
wouldn't plant closer than 2ft to the fence to allow the leaves to grow. You
can grow lettuce around them as they grow anyway.
2. That's what I do with all my brassica seedlings, and firm them/puddle
them in well.

The best crop of sprouts I have had were planted close to a South-east
facing wall. I tied them into wires that run along this wall, I think
the fact that they were securely anchored had a lot to do with it!

--
Please do not reply to this Email address,
as all Emails are deleted before opened.

"Bob Hobden" wrote in message
...

"Rob Barrett" wrote
Hi all,
I've been lurking for awhile and learning alot. I'm an American
non-gardener now studying in Durham and catching the gardening bug.
Thanks
for sharing the richness of your community!

I've got some Brussels sprouts seedlings on the windowsill that I hope
to
plant out in a few weeks and I'm trying to decide where to put them.
I've
got a fence on the north side of the garden and was thinking of putting
a
row along the south side of the fence. Two questions:

(1) How close to the fence can I plant them? I'm trying to keep from
using up too much of the vegetable patch along that fence.

(2) I think I read somewhere that they should be planted out deeper
than
they are in the pots -- with the soil coming up to the first leaves on
the
stalk. Did I dream that up or am I remembering correctly? The
seedlings
have gotten kind of floppy, so I expect this will help them stand
better.


I haven't planted mine yet!
You will need to be careful as there is still the possibility of cold
weather and as your plants have been kept indoors they won't be able to
cope.

Surely it shouldn't get too much cooler now?
If they're kept under a cloche/cold-frame it should be safe, no?

I'm actually planning on trying some bruxles this year.
Never had enough room, before, but recently aquired an allotment(finally!)
and am sowing and planning like the clappers.

Unfortunately the allotment was in quite a state,
so am sowing in modules and pots, to transplant when it's ready.

--
J.P. in London.

"JP in Lon" wrote after
"Bob Hobden"
I haven't planted mine yet!
You will need to be careful as there is still the possibility of cold
weather and as your plants have been kept indoors they won't be able to
cope.

Surely it shouldn't get too much cooler now?
If they're kept under a cloche/cold-frame it should be safe, no?

They would be OK under a cloche but it's the sudden change from nice cosy
indoors to permanently outside that will cause the problem not the outside
in itself.


I'm actually planning on trying some bruxles this year.
Never had enough room, before, but recently aquired an allotment(finally!)
and am sowing and planning like the clappers.

Unfortunately the allotment was in quite a state,
so am sowing in modules and pots, to transplant when it's ready.


We do that as a matter of course every year anyway, all out brassicas inc.
swede are planted in Roottrainers at home and planted out when big enough.

--
Regards
Bob Hobden
17mls W. of London.UK

Thanks for all of the helpful advice on my Brussels sprouts.

I've been keeping them outside during the day for the past week and will
probably keep doing that for another couple of weeks before
transplanting them outdoors. I'll keep an eye on the weather for
covering them on cold, clear nights.

If I'm watching the weather forecasts, what temperature/wind/cloud
conditions would indicate its time to cover them up? These will be in
fairly exposed vegetable patches with only a little protection from wind
from fences. (BTW, it seems there's a market for an email service that
would notify you based on postcode when frost conditions are predicted!
Sorry...too much of a technologist sometimes....)

As for placement, maybe it's time for some experimentation. I think
I'll try putting a couple fairly close to the fence -- good idea about
using the fence to support them. (Hopefully the neighbor boy next door
won't abuse them too horribly....) And I'll put another couple in some
wider spaces where they will be able to grow leaves in all directions.

Rob

Low pH is a potential problem on land that has not been used for growing
vegetables. For sprouts ensure the soil pH is 6.
David T.
"Rob Barrett" wrote in message
...
Thanks for all of the helpful advice on my Brussels sprouts.

I've been keeping them outside during the day for the past week and will
probably keep doing that for another couple of weeks before transplanting
them outdoors. I'll keep an eye on the weather for covering them on cold,
clear nights.

If I'm watching the weather forecasts, what temperature/wind/cloud
conditions would indicate its time to cover them up? These will be in
fairly exposed vegetable patches with only a little protection from wind
from fences. (BTW, it seems there's a market for an email service that
would notify you based on postcode when frost conditions are predicted!
Sorry...too much of a technologist sometimes....)

As for placement, maybe it's time for some experimentation. I think I'll
try putting a couple fairly close to the fence -- good idea about using
the fence to support them. (Hopefully the neighbor boy next door won't
abuse them too horribly....) And I'll put another couple in some wider
spaces where they will be able to grow leaves in all directions.

Rob

david taylor wrote:
Low pH is a potential problem on land that has not been used for growing
vegetables. For sprouts ensure the soil pH is 6.

Thanks for the tip, David. I got a pH kit and found my soil to vary
between 7.0 and 7.5, depending on location. So I guess I'm ok for the
sprouts. It's fairly heavy clay. Anything else I should be aware of
vegetable-wise with this soil? I'm in Durham, in case location matters.

This is my second season -- I did a few things last year with a late
start (thus my overly-early start this year). The maincrop carrots were
big winners; spring onions were big losers. Lettuce, spinach, radishes,
courgettes were fair-to-middlin'.

best,
Rob