Broccoli seedlings...

I am TOTALLY new to growing vegetables and am now the proud of owner of this pot full of broccoli seedlings (not sure what the collective noun for broccoli seedslings is..). I only put them in last Sunday and they are going beserk! I have only got a tinyu plot (1m x 1m raised bed and am doing the infamous square foot garden. I have got one space for broccoli, meaning that I can keep one plant!!!! Can someone simply tell me:
1) when should I thin these out?
2) when should I transplant into my raised bed?
3) Will other seedlings grow in containers etc? It seems such a shame to waste this lot..and to be honest, I would be a bit sad getting rid of them..

 

Hiya Mark.

I'm wondering if it's actually worth trying to grow just one plant. The yield is going to be low, maybe no more than enough for one meal. I've never grown it myself, but some varieties (as I understand it) will give just one floret, not really worth the bother?

 

lol...I sort of know that it is only going to produce maybe one meals worth...but to be honest, I am only 'having a go' this year to see what I can grow. Friends of mine have told me 'You'll never get anything from broccoli' and I'm determined to prove them wrong. If I get a good harvest from this one plant...then I will be satisfied with that for my first attempt. Maybe next year, should I gain success, I will dig over my entire garden and go into broccoli farming lol

 

1. Thin as soon as you can easily pick them out, but do it in stages just in case some die off.
2. Transplant after the first true leaves (not the seed leaves) have developed and plant just up to the base of the leaves. You can leave it a bit later if you wish.
3. "Other seedlings?" in containers. Depends on the specific plant and size of container. Brassicas, unless mini-varieties have big root systems.

If you grow purple sprouting broccoli you'll get several pickings from a plant and it's a plant that's very high in stuff that's good for you. It's not too late to sow some.

 

Thanks for the responses... the broccoli that I have planted is called Broccoli - baby type, Calabrese - Sakura.. (whatever that means). I am definitely going to grow the Kale, as suggested. However, I really don't want to NOT try this broccoli. If I was going to put a plant into a container, what sort of size would I be looking at? I can't just chuck em out..would be really sad lol.

 

Don't keep them in the warm - Brassicas (Brussels, Cabbage, Caulis, Broccoli etc) get very "leggy" if kept warm. Stick the pot outside (but protect it from birds / slugs / etc) and bring it in for the night for the first week so it doesn't get cold-shock.

Prick-out as soon as you are ready, or thin to (say) 3 strongest for now, and then progressively down to one, but I think you will be better off to prick-out - Brassicas tend to start off with quite tall stems, which are "weak", and if you transplant by pricking out to a new pot you can bury them up to the seed leaves (those are the butterfly-shaped leaves you have got, the next leaves will be the real ones, and will be a completely different shape - that's commonly the case for all seedlings)

 

Right... I am going to do that in the morning...can I just ask then about planting out somewhere else... from what others were saying, maybe a broccoli plant in my square foot garden isn't going to be ideal...therefore I am going to attempt to grow them in pots (will go for about three, as Kristen has suggested). What size pots would I need? Am actually at a charity event tomorrow so am going to be on the lookout for some makeshift containers...rather than forking out for pots.
This vegetable growing business seems to be quite pricey at the onset (but I am totally loving it!)

Some friends of mine seem really keen on taking some broccoli to try themselves...can i simply translplant some of the seedlings into 3 inch pots maybe, for a while?

 

Sorry, I meant if you were going to thin the seedlings then to first thin them to 3 strongest seedlings, then 2 and finally leave just 1.

Brassicas like Broccoli are usually planted about 2' apart - they get to be rather large plants I'm afraid.

 

Got yer Kristen.. I think I might attempt to grow three though...so hopefully, I get more than one meal out of the whole experience. If I want to put them into pots, any idea of how big a pot I would need? I know that I have got a 'colourful plastic' raised bed type thing which I bought off Suttons website (very good by the way!)...but this is only 6 inches high...is that too shallow? Sorry for all the questions but I am determined to get it right, if I can!

 

Ok..thanks for that...my last point then...would they grow in potato grow bags? I have some really nice ones which I bought from Suttons...I could put one plant in each container...

 

Brassicas like really REALLY firm feet. Stamping the soil before planting them is not uncommon. They need to not wiggle about. I think in bags the soil won't be firm enough, and I'm sceptical that it will be in pots too.

Folk will no doubt say "its worth a try", I take a different view - its only "worth a try" if there is a backup, otherwise all the time, effort, cost may be wasted. But I wish you luck!

 

Thanks again, Kristen...you have been a brilliant help. There's good news and there's bad news. The good news is...I can reuse the growbags and growing medium I have just bought... the bad news...yes, I bought them. If they do grow, I think I might have just bought the most expensive florets of broccoli ever! However, I will give it a try and will put some photos up of their progress (should there be any!). I will stomp it down, give some lime to the 'soil' and keep a close eye on them. I am ultra determined now to get something out of this...I shall keep you posted on my progress...thanks once again. Is it worth putting fish blood and bone and also chicken manure pellets with them? (or is this additive overload?)