Veggie Starts Tolerant of Spring Frosts

[Black Krim]

Finding veggies tolerant of FALL frost is easy to list. Fibding those tolerant to spring fluctations and frost has been a bust. Looking for suggestions: veggies that can handle frost as young transplants.

thank you.

[Cole_Robbie]

Kohlrabi?

[b54red]

Brussels sprouts, spinach, onions and a pea called Willet Wonder. Some cabbages, broccoli, rutabagas, mustard, turnips, and cauliflower all tolerate frost pretty well but can be damaged if it stays below freezing for a bit too long.

Bill

[Wi-sunflower]

I will second the fact that the cole crops can be pretty tolerant of SOME low temps. We often plant cabbage out in late April - early May in our sandy areas and the frost free date here is the end of May.

First you don't want the transplants too small as frost will stunt them and often make the plant bolt.

But it's also true that you don't want a hard frost or several frosts in a row. A couple of years ago we planted several thousand bare root cabbages and THAT NITE (unforecast) we got a hard frost. We lost several hundred plants. And those that survived were somewhat more spread out in maturity than normal.

Carol

[Hatgirl]

Broad beans/fava beans are the first thing I plant every year. About a month earlier than even peas.

[Black Krim]

THANK YOU ALL for great suggestions !!!!!

[bower]

BK, all the veggies mentioned which we plant early here, also get row cover as insurance. Which we entirely need due to the certainty of frosts.
Also the extra few degrees of warmth has a major effect on growth rate in early spring. You can really get an earlier crop than anything sown without it.

[GoDawgs]

I agree with getting your transplants larger before planting out. Then I've learned the hard way that I really do need to cover them against frost for the first three weeks or so after they've been planted. At some point they do become tolerant to frost without a cover. Still looking for that sweet spot but my guess is that it's a combo of gut feeling and weather forecasts as opposed to a scientific "x number of days".

[Jeannine Anne]

I have peas that have just poked their heads out of the soil. Champion of England variety. I also sowed Preens but have my doubts about those.

I second about the Broad Beans (fava) I usually put them out in February but am a bit late with them this year.

[Black Krim]

Fava......never considered growing them. Will hunt down seed for next year.

Looks like age of transplant is a factor for spring planting.

Fleece cover aka row cover a must. Got it.

Ive been reading thru many seed catalogs and catch bits like Provider beans can handle very early planting, fir a bean.

Trialed carrots and radish. yes to radish, no for carrots.

thanks everyone !

[taboule]

My lettuce (4 kinds) and cabbage are in the ground already, so are my onions. Quite small but holding up well so far. We're expecting a few more nights under 32 F, I'm rooting for the little guys.

I also have stumps of kale and chard that survived the winter and are leafing up. I never knew these were perennials and would come back, do others keep them year to year?

[RayR]

Originally Posted by Jeannine Anne

I have peas that have just poked their heads out of the soil. Champion of England variety. I also sowed Preens but have my doubts about those.

I second about the Broad Beans (fava) I usually put them out in February but am a bit late with them this year.

February in Canada for Fava? It snowed in Western NY the last couple days. I started some Fava in peat pots indoors to start, I know they're hardy but it's been either been too wet or too cold to work the ground, the seed would just rot in the ground.