[Lesley Silvester]

I sowed two types of spring cabbale in seed trays in September and only a few came up despite regular watering.  We then have a couple of heavy rainfalls and suddenly I have dozens of seedlings.  Hope they become big enough to plant out before the frosts.

[Plantoid]

Have you taken the seedlings outside to harden them off in the day time ?

You can if your careful remove even tiny seedling with just the seed leaves on from a sown tray if you use a widger or a handle of a tea spoon and carefully  transplant the seedling with a lump of soil on the root then sprinkle some of the seed compost around the new plant and gently water in  with slightly warm ( room temp water that you havehad in nthe house for a 12 hr period .
 
The secret is not to tear the soil and damage the hair roots and not to compress with soil them when transplanting them in the prepared holes .

 May I be so bold and suggest you try just a few and see if you get good results like I have done.

 My widger is manufactured shop purchased   gutter shaped bit of stainless steel 7 inches long  by about 1/2 " wide smaller at one end than the other ..you simply slide it in well under the seedling to be lifted and then make sure you keep your fingers and anything else off the seed stem and seed leaf.

 Once in a while disinfect the widger in a mild bleach solution & rinse it off well in clean water , such as when going on to a new tray just so you don't pass on any diseases or fungi.

[Lesley Silvester]

Thanks, Plantoid.  They are already outside day and night so they'll be good and tough.  Hopefully we have a few more weeks until the ground starts going solid, so I may be lucky.  The ones that came up first are now almost ready to plant out.  I also have salad leaves in a trough which obviously prefer the rain to my watering skills as they are doing the same thing.

[Plantoid]

I checked mine just before it got to dusk .. slugs or  birds have had a feast .
 They are now netted over and have been given a slug pellet carpet.

[Lesley Silvester]

Mine should be safe as they are in seed trays on a rack but I will check them.  Those slugs can get anywhere it seems.  Thank goodness for organic slug pellets.  My alternative is going out late with my special slug murdering knife.

[Blonde]

I sowed two types of spring cabbale in seed trays in September and only a few came up despite regular watering.  We then have a couple of heavy rainfalls and suddenly I have dozens of seedlings.  Hope they become big enough to plant out before the frosts.

Only plant out the biggest seedlings......compost the rest.   they wont make the distance.  the large seedlings will make great cabbages