Fall Crops In So. California, I Don't Want Them To Fry!

[sheysd1]

Hello everyone........This is my first year garden and I am attempting to put out lettuce, kale, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, spinach and brussels sprouts, all grown from seed. I have them in little starter pots and they are getting really big. It's in the high 90's here. Do I need to wait a while to put them out into the garden? Can I put them under some shade cloth to help with the heat? All the season charts say that it is time to put all these fall crops out in my area but I don't want them to fry up.
My poor little plants.......it's so hot out.

[rnewste]

I would definitely put them under some shade cloth. I use Coolaroo fabric material, and it does a pretty good job out here in the California sun.

Raybo

[sheysd1]

Thanks Raybo!........ I picked up some shade cloth at the hardware store. It does look like its helping a lot.

[rnewste]

You can kill lettuce in a few hours in the direct Sun out in this part of the Country. Enough light should penetrate the shade cloth to be adequate this time of year. Have fun!!

Raybo

[b54red]

I would wait a little longer if I could. One of the big problems we have down here planting broccoli as a fall crop is a sudden warm spell will cause it to head when the plants are only about 8 or 10 inches tall and you get really small useless heads. Lettuce will try to go to seed unless your nights are pretty cool. I can't even start my seed yet for those crops because the days have been in the 100s and the nights in the 70s and 80s. I think the shade cloth would definitely help and give them some extra water also.

[sheysd1]

B54red..........I have my broccoli started but it is still very small. I think your right, I will wait another 4 weeks or so and then set it out. I did set the lettuce out this afternoon. Romaine and Arugula. Watered it in and covered it with shade cloth. Hopefully it will be ok. It is in a spot that only gets the morning sun so hopefully that should help. Thanks so much for your help!