One of the challenges I faced this winter was getting certain spring crops sown and into the garden in the face of a three week absence in February. There was just no way that I could nurture seedlings along in pots and then get them set out in the garden in a timely way. In 2015 I had sown three varieties of broccoli and one variety of cabbage in early January, set them out in the garden in mid February, and had the first harvest on March 31. That schedule just wasn't going to be possible this winter but I wasn't ready to give up on spring broccoli so I decided to experiment with direct sowing under cloches.
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| January 21 |
I usually plant my brassicas with the stems planted deep, at least up to the level of the seed leaves. The plants will develop roots along the stem and especially from the leaf nodes and that helps to keep the plants from keeling over in the wind. I've found that planting them deep can also encourage strong side shoots from the soil level. With that in mind I dug out the soil about 1 1/2 or 2 inches before sowing the seeds and then put the cloche in place. I sowed a few seeds in each cloche, 2 with broccoli and 2 with cabbage.
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| February 27 |
My hope was that the cloche would protect the seedlings from critters (especially sow bugs) and pounding rain and provide a bit of warmth in the cold weather. Look what I found when I got home...
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| February 27 |
The Batavia broccoli had great germination and the young seedlings were nice and healthy! Unfortunately the germination rate for the cabbage was ZERO, old seeds, oh well. The cloches not only protected the seedlings from critters, but they also kept the seedlings from drying out when the rain disappeared for a couple of weeks as soon as I left. Other seedlings that I had sown under the protection of mesh tunnels suffered from the lack of moisture and never grew well.
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| March 2 |
It took me a few days before I could get around to uncovering the plants to thin them.
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| March 2 |
After I removed the excess seedlings I replaced the soil that I had removed when I sowed the seeds so that the lower stems were buried.
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| March 2 |
Then I had to cover the young plants with some mesh fabric because the birds discovered how delicious the tender young foliage is.
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| March 16 |
At the same time I sowed some seeds of Atlantis Brokali where the cabbage failed to germinate. They are coming along nicely.
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| March 16 |
I think I'll be doing more experiments with sowing under the protection of cloches next winter, it certainly helps to cut down on the work of potting up seedlings and I'm wondering if the plants will perform better for not having their roots disturbed from the potting up and setting out process. The method won't entirely eliminate my need for starting in containers, often times the garden space isn't ready when it's time to sow the seeds, but when the space is available I'll be continuing the experiments.
It must be to do with differences in the weather between your part of the world and mine, but I found that when I grew plants like that they succumbed to mould or fungal diseases because the cloches were too humid. I raise mine in little pots now, and plant them out when they have at least two proper leaves.
ReplyDeleteYou make a good point and it makes me wonder if I would have had problems if the weather had stayed cold and wet. It probably helps that the cloches (bottles) have openings at the top to allow for ventilation.
DeleteSome great ideas - especially like the ingenious method of sowing the seeds in the depression and later filling it in. Your seedlings look great! I'll be sowing some brassicas today as well, but indoors - we are still much too chilly for any direct seeding.
ReplyDeleteAmazing success. I hadn't thought of the mould, but I would have expected them to either dry out (but I guess the rain gets all around them anyway) or burn up in the sun (probably winter sun not strong enough?). Well done!
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