Transplanting Seedlings before Planting in Ground?

[Joseph Hazen]

Hello,

I'm a real noob when it comes to starting your own seedlings, but we had to this fall to get some veggies that my wife and I wanted, but that we never had in my garden as a kid. Cabbage and brussels sprouts mainly. I have a few questions though.

The seedlings are now a few inches in length with two true leaves. The Master Gardeners in our area say the brussels sprouts should've been transplanted into the ground in August but we got a late start. We wanted to try anyway.

However, I can't find really good info on whether or not we should transplant the seedlings into a three-inch pot or so, and let them get stronger before we put them in the garden, or whether I should get them in the ground asap. I lean towards the latter, but that may be because I've never done seedlings and because I want to get them in the ground. Our weather, however, is still very warm (though I've got a shady spot where they're going to go that stays pretty cool) and I'm nervous about them getting too hot, even though they say 'sprouts should be planted in August (though, again, I think that's with a stronger plant...)

Any help?

[rainbowgardener]

Either way might work. Personally, I lean toward up potting them in to a three inch pot and letting them get a little bigger and stronger first. Tiny seedlings are very vulnerable to a lot of pests, etc and they can dry out in hours. They will still need to be watered every day for awhile. I think it is easier to protect them and give them the care they need, while they are still in pots

It helps to put your location info in your profile, so it will show under your name, like mine does. It is hard to answer any gardening question, without knowing where you are and what your climate is like. But it sounds like you are in some kind of northern, cold winter climate. I start some cold winter stuff like spinach and broccoli in Oct to overwinter and grow again in the late winter-very early spring. It has worked very well for me, but it depends on how cold your winters are, whether it would work for you.

[Joseph Hazen]

Thanks rainbowgardener. I added my location - Central California, not really a cold winter climate! Today I formed some pots from newspaper and put the seedlings in. On another thread another zone 9'er told me to wait another two weeks or so before putting in the plants, and you said either would work, so I figured they'd need some room and better to give them some more time.

[imafan26]

I have broccoli and brussels sprouts starts and I start them in a community pot, so I pot them up before transplanting out into the garden. I could put some out directly, but the slugs would probably get them in a few days.