Transplanting question

I have seedlings of broccoli, cauliflower, brussel sprouts and broccoli raab. When should I transplant them to a larger cell? They are about 2 inches tall now. Would 2.5 inch cell size be good? Should I plant them up to the first leaves like tomatoes? I am more familiar with growing tomatoes BTW. No eggplant up yet but I know they are slow to germ.

The Veggie Gardener's Bible gives me a lot of info but what does everyone else do? They are going outside around the first week of May, say in about a month. Shouldn't they be hardened off before planting?

Okay enough questions. I planted so many the odds are in my favor!

Thanks -Kim

What size cells are they in now? Why are you waiting until may to transplant outdoors? I keep mine in a standard 6 pack, can't remember the dimensions, until transplant. Don't plant them deep like tomatoes. Tomatoes are rather unique in their desire to be transplanted multiple times and deeply.

I would recommend planting your broccoli out a couple of weeks before last frost if they're big enough. They only need to have a few true leaves and be about 4" tall. I've put many out with 3-4 leaves and they're thriving. Nice and big now.

Regarding hardening them off, where are they now? If they're in a greenhouse it's not necessary, if they're indoors I'd recommend it.

Eggplant generally germinates quite quickly in my experience.

Good luck!
David

They are in a 72 cell tray, but I sowed too many per cell. Some I can thin and some I want to keep so I need to move them.

Should I put a row cover on the broccoli?

All the plants are indoors under lights at the moment.

Ok. so transplant into either size cell or thing to one per cell - even in a 72 tray?

Thanks!

Hi Bluekat, we are putting out our broc,cauli, kohl this week in z5. We will cover with row covers to give them a little cold protection and also to keep the wind off them. We have not had much lock growing brussells sprouts that mature in the summer. This year we are going to try putting in seedlings about the middle of july to get a fall crop. If your summer weather is cool, they should do fine. You might consider a second or third planting to have your favorites all summer. We use row covers on eggplant to keep the flea beetles off until the plants are big enough to withstand their attack -- without it we won't get much of a crop.

We grow our plants in 72-cell trays and transplant directly into the garden. We take them out from the indoor lights and put them in an unheated hoophouse for a few days to get aclimatized. We try to put them out on a cloudy day with some form of shade then remove it gradually over a few days. We grow a lot of plants for our CSA and for a couple of markets. Good luck with yours! Tim

I would transplant into another 72 cell flat or 6-packs. They don't require much room.
We put ours for sale in a large 4-pack, (32 cells to a flat), because people think they need a plant nearly ready to eat. LOL!
You can bury the stem pretty deep. It won't hurt it, but will keep it upright.
Put it in nearly to the leaves.
Let them get nice & sturdy looking before you plant them in your garden.
Have a great day!
Bernie

I will put them into 6 packs - I just didn't think it would be this soon! I also thought they couldn't go outside until our frost date which is the first week of May.

I am going to do the brussel sprouts again over the summer for fall harvest.

Thanks guys!
-Kim

Kim, I bury just about everything up to the cotyledons when I transplant. As Bernie said, this will keep those little seedlings upright, and it seems to make for a sturdier plant.

FYI, the eggplant seed you gave me has germinated, so I have 4 varieties up now with 3 to 5 seedlings.... almost ready to transplant into cells! I will share.... :-) I only need half a dozen plants! (I have to save space for all those peppers.)

TTYS!

Jill