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Vegetable Gardening

Do I need to cover my seeds and seedlings?

backyardfarming

16 years ago

Tonight we are going to have a low of 30 degrees, last weekend I planted my radishes, carrots, beets and peas. A friend of mine has sprouts already on her beets and radishes. We are wondering if we need to cover them and what do we cover them with if they need to be covered?

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Comments (7)

tcstoehr
16 years ago
30 degrees should not harm these crops. I wouldn't expect that the ground would freeze solid or heave or disrupt your seeds in any way. I have all these crops growing and have been down to at least 26 degrees without incident. However, these low temps sure aren't helpful to get things growing.
digdirt2
16 years ago
Agree. These are all quite cold tolerant. As long as you don't get several days of a deep freeze - which is still possible in your zone - they will be fine. I too have all of them planted and they have already been through several nites of 30-32 and thriving. ;)

Dave
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marie, what xiangirl said is true. Look around you: the planet is primarily green. Plants/seeds know what to do and when according to their genetic code. Did I have failures? Yup! I didn't lament them because I knew that it was ME who didn't provide them with what they needed to sprout and thrive. You asked for suggestions. Here's one - stand back and let them do what comes naturally. I'm in southern New England so I live on the opposite side of the continent from where you are. If I look at a map of the Pacific Northwest, it's warmer and wetter than where I live but it's still the continental U.S. Our climate and growing conditions may be different but we're still on the same planet and still in the same country. I suggest you open your mind to possibilities rather than accept what you've been previously told about growing from seed. I did and have been amazed at (and rewarded by) the results. Ex: two little old ladies walked down my driveway last year and stood gazing, apparently amazed by my garden beds. I walked out to see what they wanted and answered all their questions about my garden beds. They left--45 minutes later--still amazed.
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backyardfarming
Original Author
16 years ago
Thank you guys, even if they are sprouted, they are fine?

Here is a link that might be useful: backyard farming
tcstoehr
16 years ago
Yes, they're fine even if they're sprouted.
ironious
16 years ago
If you are really worried you can set 1 gallon bottles of water around them at night then throw a sheet over them.
digdirt2
16 years ago
Can't say it any clearer. ;) None of the listed crops require any special care or concern. All are very cold, even frost, even snow tolerant. Even when full grown. All of the root crops can, in fact, be left in the ground in the winter and harvested as need and spring green peas keep right on trucking even if it snows on them.

The only time you have to be concerned about them is if the ground itself freezes and it takes days of a deep, hard freeze to to that.

Dave
backyardfarming
Original Author
16 years ago
Great! I just wanted to be sure.

~marisa

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