Hard frost now WHAT?

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HI... I planted lettuce, peas, radish, spinach, cabbage and beets...Things were just starting to show above groung and with last nights hard freeze. Everything has gone to ground. Is there any hope the seeds will grow again? I live in Maryland. I just thought that the beets were 5" along with the onions and now nothing. I thought these were hardy. Just thought I'd ask before replanting. Thanks

-- cARRIE (onemaur@olg.com), March 23, 2002

Answers

if the temps climb back up, it won be long before you can tell if they will return,, next time,, put some plastic, or window over them, will help

-- Stan (sopal@net-pert.com), March 23, 2002.

Even hardy plants need to get a good start before being exposed to freezing temps, onions can be over wintered, after getting to a certain amount of growth completed. Since your onions didn’t make it, sounds as though the other will not make it. Might do a partial replant, don’t know how big your planting is, but with your replant you might cover these seeds with a good layer of mulch and then cover seeds and mulch with plastic, this will allow you to raise soil temps, give you a faster re-start and the mulch will give you a protective/insulating layer.

-- BC (desertdweller44@yahoo.com), March 23, 2002.

Here in WV our frost date is May 15th, which means that that is the average day when the last frost occurs. I imagine Maryland to be similar or close by. We have had frosts as late as June. If you re- seed now be prepared to protect your young seedlings. I agree with the other poster that hardy usually means after it is matured.

-- Anne (HealthyTouch101@wildmail.com), March 23, 2002.

I wouldn't do anything for a week. Stan is right: you'll know soon enough and it would be a shame to re-plant what is still alive. I have been told lettuce is hardy when it is small, and I've had cabbage do well in cold temperatures.

-- Terri (hooperterri@prodigy.net), March 23, 2002.

I don't plant ANYTHING before the third week of May, no matter what ;- )!!! Patience is learned the HARD way!

-- Annie Miller in SE OH (annie@1st.net), March 23, 2002.


I'm rather with Annie, except we have to wait longer. My grandmother always told me that I couldn't plant seeds until the leaves on the birch trees were the size of mouse's ears. I'd run in and tell her that they were mouse ear size now, can I plant? -- and she would invariably tell me that I had to wait until they were the size of a SQUIRREL's ear.

She didn't have anyone who would build her a cold frame and had to just brave the elements. I don't know what your forecast is there, but it might be smart to put out some straw or hay bales around your tender starts and put plastic over, or old windows and make your own cold frames.

-- julie f. (rumplefrogskin@excite.com), March 23, 2002.


I have learned the hard way a few tricks with frost. If you have warning the next time, go out to your garden with a hoe and cover the young plants with soil. Then the frost doesn't get them, and wee bit you've slowed them down by giving them extra soil to grow through is still better than having to replant.

I'll be surprized if you've lost the peas. They can take a lot of frost. With lettuce and cabbage, I'm not sure. Here we have to plant started plants, and by the time they're that size, they can tolerate a bit more frost. I've never lost radish to frost.

Check with your neighbours to find out when the last frost date is where you live. And then remember, anything you plant before that will have to be 'babysat' if there's a frost warning.

-- Bernie from Northern Ontario (bernadette_kerr@hotmail.com), March 23, 2002.


My lettuce grew all winter, right through all the hard frosts. In fact, the lettuce was just left over seeds from the spring planting, and now all the rows are full of lettuce. It is a looseleaf variety. Also, the brocolli and anything in the radish family (cabbage and beets in your case, i believe) will tolerate a frost, in fact, here in NC, they grow right on through the winter, even through the snow. And peas will take some serious abuse! Last year, I like an idiot, planted EVERYTHING on March ninth because I couldnt resist the wait. The sweet corn got a little burned by a late frost, but, surprizingly, eveything grew just fine. Id wait a week or three and see if anything comes back before replanting.

-- Kevin in NC (Vantravlrs@aol.com), March 24, 2002.

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