broccoli transplants not growing?

[mtgarden gal]

Hi, I seem to be having trouble getting my plants to grow this year. I grew some nice broccoli seedlings and planted them in my garden about 10 days ago. Since then, they haven't seemed to grow at ALL. It's been nice spring weather, I have watered them, and fertilized them with fish emulsions. Am I being too worrisome and impatient? Do they take this long to take off growing after transplanting? THanks!

I also had BAD luck with my tomato and bell pepper seedlings this year. I started them in the same soil/compost blend as I started my zucchini, squash, and pumpkins, and they grew great. But the tomatos and peppers sprouted then seemed to just stop growing. They just hung there with the two "leaves" for the LONGEST time, I'm talking weeks, then finally started getting their first true leaves. But they are still very small and pathetic looking and hardly growing.
I have fertilized them with fish emulsions and since it's been a sunny and warm spring here, they have been outside in the sun most of their "lives" so it's not a matter of not enough light or warmth. Any thoughts? Maybe I got bad seed? except the tomatos were several different varieties, so what's the chance of that?

[mscratch]

sounds like they are just adjusting to being transplanted..I usually do not fertilize very young plants if the potting soil was a good one..maybe you are leaving them in the pots a bit too long before transplanting and they are struggling with no space and nutrients? or you introduced them outside too swiftly? alot of my veggies benefited from a nice rain and took off so good without the chemical stuff in the city water.. might want to check your garden soil as it could be lacking in various minerals etc. or it could just come down to impatience and weather.

[jal_ut]

Hmmmm, sounds like a soil fertility problem to me. Try some different fertilizer. Miracle grow works if you are not opposed to use it. Compost or steer manure if you want the organic route.

[mtgarden gal]

I did mix in a bag of manure into the soil before transplanting them.

[rainbowgardener]

Does not sound "normal." I usually start my seeds indoors so I have large well developed seedling to put in. But I have tons of volunteer tomato plants growing like weeds in my garden, so I know they don't have to be started indoors. I did direct seed my broccoli for fall planting last year and it did fine until it got really cold.

It is a mystery. I would have agreed with james, except if you added manure to the ground, planted in soil/compost and fertilized with fish emulsion, I can't imagine that there's not enough nutrients for them. Sounds like way more than I do. You are telling us there's been plenty of sun (and they are planted in an area where they get at least 6 hrs sun a day, right?) and reasonable (not too hot, not too cold) spring temps. That leaves water. You said you watered, but how/ how much? Either too little or too much water could slow seedlings down.

Other than not growing, are they showing any symptoms? I.e. are they yellowing, have spots, curling, looking puny... Pics might help us explore this mystery better.

I don't think there's any such thing as bad seed, except seed that didn't germinate. If the seed germinates, it has done it's job. What happens after that is all about the conditions the plant finds.

[mtgarden gal]

too much water is a possibility. I always worry that the soil is too dry. I will try cutting back on the water. There is no yellowing, spots or curling leaves. They look nice and healthy.

[applestar]

I also had BAD luck with my tomato and bell pepper seedlings this year. I started them in the same soil/compost blend as I started my zucchini, squash, and pumpkins, and they grew great. But the tomatos and peppers sprouted then seemed to just stop growing.

There's a clue in here somewhere. Where are you growing them?
If the zukes, etc. "grew great," then maybe it was too hot for toms and peps, though one tends to think peps might do well with bottom heat. But bell peppers don't like TOO hot air temps (70's to mid-80's max and prefer moderate night temp) Tomato seedlings do better in cool to moderate (50's~60's) temp.

[Ohio Tiller]

Dig one up and see if it is developing roots they maybe growing down at the momment and will burst upwards when they get root set.