Cold Spell Left Some Toasty Plants

GoDawgs · April 4, 2021

Well, there has been cold damage done in the garden. I'll take the blame for not covering everything. I didn't do it because the spring stuff out there has always done ok in 30-33 without covering. Pickles said the burning might have been due to the warm temps (10 days of 70's-80's) that juiced the plants up just before the three days of cold, making them more vulnerable than usual. That very well could be. Last frost usually happens no later than 23-27 March. So let's take a stroll through toasty plants, shall we?

The two Golden Acre cabbage got burned as did three of the Stonehead cabbages. The Stonehead have never had a problem before. A close look shows that the centers are ok so I'm hopeful they'll pull out of it and all I'll have to do is cut off some dying oldest outer leaves. Jersey Wakefield was pretty OK.

I don't know if the cauliflower will make it. It's 'Rober', a new variety for me and one that supposedly makes regardless of spring temperature swings. In the foreground are four of them and they got hit pretty good. That's broccoli on the other side of the bed and it didn't get hit much at all. Their problem is that with those higher temps earlier, they're starting to produce 2" heads that are loosening up to bloom. If it's not one thing, it's another. Off with their heads! Now they can get busy making side shoots.

The peas got hit but I think they'll grow out of it.

And an update on the cabbage flower. It's so strange looking anyway I can't tell how badly it got burned and if it will continue to grow or not. We'll see.

The good news is that the collards, kale, kohlrabi, the few carrots that are left, onions and the garlic are all just fine.

Speaking of carrots, I had to push back carrot sowing because of that cold spell that dropped soil temps too low. With this coming week being mostly in the 80's I'll shoot for the 8th. By then soil temps will be nice again and the moon will be right.

Things burned, lesson learned. You'd think after 25-30 years of gardening I'd get it right. And most times I do but it just goes to show that you can't let your guard down for even one one minute because Mother Nature's just waiting to smack ya!

April 4, 2021	#1
GoDawgs Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2018 Location: Augusta area, Georgia, 8a/7b Posts: 1,685	Cold Spell Left Some Toasty Plants Well, there has been cold damage done in the garden. I'll take the blame for not covering everything. I didn't do it because the spring stuff out there has always done ok in 30-33 without covering. Pickles said the burning might have been due to the warm temps (10 days of 70's-80's) that juiced the plants up just before the three days of cold, making them more vulnerable than usual. That very well could be. Last frost usually happens no later than 23-27 March. So let's take a stroll through toasty plants, shall we? The two Golden Acre cabbage got burned as did three of the Stonehead cabbages. The Stonehead have never had a problem before. A close look shows that the centers are ok so I'm hopeful they'll pull out of it and all I'll have to do is cut off some dying oldest outer leaves. Jersey Wakefield was pretty OK. I don't know if the cauliflower will make it. It's 'Rober', a new variety for me and one that supposedly makes regardless of spring temperature swings. In the foreground are four of them and they got hit pretty good. That's broccoli on the other side of the bed and it didn't get hit much at all. Their problem is that with those higher temps earlier, they're starting to produce 2" heads that are loosening up to bloom. If it's not one thing, it's another. Off with their heads! Now they can get busy making side shoots. The peas got hit but I think they'll grow out of it. And an update on the cabbage flower. It's so strange looking anyway I can't tell how badly it got burned and if it will continue to grow or not. We'll see. The good news is that the collards, kale, kohlrabi, the few carrots that are left, onions and the garlic are all just fine. Speaking of carrots, I had to push back carrot sowing because of that cold spell that dropped soil temps too low. With this coming week being mostly in the 80's I'll shoot for the 8th. By then soil temps will be nice again and the moon will be right. Things burned, lesson learned. You'd think after 25-30 years of gardening I'd get it right. And most times I do but it just goes to show that you can't let your guard down for even one one minute because Mother Nature's just waiting to smack ya!