deep beds and brassicas

[MacArthur Park]

I want to grow sprouts and cabbages on my lottie but I have deep beds.  :-\ I have read that this is possible if I stake them instead of planting in firmly. Has anyone grown them successfully in the deep bed system? Pointers please!

[MacArthur Park]

[manicscousers]

yes, we grow both in beds 8 to 10 " deep, this is how we do it ..
stomp the ground firm where the plant's going, dib a hole, plant it in, stomp all around it..if it's a sprout, stake it..watch for strong winds and stomp around it if it rocks..we find cabbage are much more forgiving than sprouts if they go loose  :)

[MacArthur Park]

Ok, now I'm really confused! :-\
I told my son before he double dug every bed that he'd never have to do it again as nobody would ever walk on the beds. ( I did pay him!!! :D)
Are you saying that I HAVE to firm them in or they won't grow properly? (Please say no! :'()

[manicscousers]

unfortunately, sprouts like a firm soil, we don't like standing on our soil any more after being so careful to get it right, you just stomp where the plant is going to go, don't worry, when you pull it up at the end of the year, it loosens it all again, if it's not firm enough, the sprouts can blow

[MacArthur Park]

Thanks for that M S I'll give it a go and keep my fingers crossed. Never grown any brassicas before so a bit nervous!

[manicscousers]

we grow 5 different cabbage and 3 different sprouts, red ones were rubbish last year but all the cabbage gave a good return, good luck, will keep my fingers crossed  :)

[Emagggie]

if it's not firm enough, the sprouts can blow

And they do, oh yes they do :(

[Tee Gee]

Although I can see where manicscousers is going I don't tramp mine in and I have no problems and my soil is quite light/loose i.e. I can sink my spade in to a full blade length without using my foot.

When planting out all I do is form a hole with a bulb planter and put my plant in then I flood the hole with a water/armillatox mix to settle it in.

Usually I do not have to stake mine until they are full of full sized sprouts as you can see here.    http://tinyurl.com/yv7yqm                                                                                   

[MacArthur Park]

water/armillatox mix

???
Sorry I'm new to this gardening lark!!! :-\ :-\ ;)

[Marymary]

I'm no expert but I think planting them deep helps too.

[redimp]

And if all else fails, stick em in the paths between the raised beds - if that is possible.

[manicscousers]

we tried it the other way and the sprouts blew so stomping works for us  ;D

[sawfish]

from what I know they have to have well stomped ground around them or the sprouts go big and loose.

Loose ground = loose sprouts

[Uncle Joshua]

Does anyone else use lime for brassicas? mine did amazingly well with it last year.

[manicscousers]

yes, our brassica beds need it so we sprinkle some in the planting hole..keeps the slugs off for a bit as well  :)

[kt.]

Does anyone else use lime for brassicas? mine did amazingly well with it last year.

I thought you had to use manure for most brassicas? So which is best?

[redimp]

Lime is used to prevent clubroot - I live in a limestone area though so don't use it - rely on last years legumes for nitrogen.  Should I use it do you think?

[Tee Gee]

water/armillatox mix

Armillatox upto a couple of years age was classified as a fungicide now it is classified as a disenfectant.

Years ago when it came on the market it was described as a product to keep club root at bay, maybe it does because I don't suffer from clubroot (fingers crossed).

But I think a better use for it is; to keep root fly at bay I think it is the smell ( I would swear it is Jeyes fluid under another name but I won't go into that here)

All I know is it works for me!!

Regarding the lime/ manure issue;

They want both as a rule but not at the same time.

As I have mentioned before I dig my manure in in autumn and apply my lime at planting out time.

But I never put any in the planting hole (Depending upon what type of lime you use I think it could burn the roots)

I just sprinkle the lime around the plants and let the weather take it into the soil, and as a bonus the slugs/snails don't seem to cross it.

I think it burns their bellies!!

[Good Gourd2]

My lotty has very light soil also. I always have a useless crop of brussels and cauliflowers. I`ve tried nearly everything e.g. F1 seeds, planting em deep, tramping the ground manure no Maure. But still they blow. So this year I manured in October planted Broad Beans  in late October and when they have finished I shall just pull them up clear the weeds without digging deep put some lime on rake it, then plant me brussel plants up to their shoulders them stomp around them ( spose I shall tread on the blessed plants) Does this sound like a good plan. Failing this I shall ask the chap next to my plot if I can buy some of his, they are always fine.

[manicscousers]

have you asked him what he does ?,