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Oklahoma Gardening

Should I plant my broccoli and cabbage today?

13 years ago

Hi everyone,

I started six De Cicco broccoli plants and six Copenhagen Market cabbages in a seventy two plug tray with a germination mat underneath about three weeks ago. They are doing well--have two leaves each (a few have four), but I feel they would do better in a cooler environment. Iwas wanting to transplant them tthis weekend but don't know if I should because of the low temps. But, then, maybe they would like it. Thoughts?

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Comments (3)

Okiedawn OK Zone 7
13 years ago
Hi Kelly,

Have the plants been grown indoors all along? And, if so, have they been hardened off to outdoor temperatures, wind and sunlight? If so, and if your forecast doesn't show any low temperatures dropping below about 25 degrees, then I'd enthusiastically say "go for it".

However, if they have been grown completely indoors and haven't been hardened off yet, then you need to harden then off prior to planting by giving them increasing exposure to outdoor conditions--one hour their first day out, two hours the second day, etc. After they're up to about 8 hours a day, they can be transplanted.

Both broccoli and cabbage are cool-season crops and do like the cooler temperatures as long as they've been hardened off and are used to them. They will finish up their production before the hottest summer temperatures arrive.

If properly hardened by exposure to cold temperatures, cabbage generally can tolerate low temperatures down to about 20-22 degrees. Cabbage makes its best growth when it is exposed to daytime highs in the 60s.

Broccoli is slightly more temperature-sensitive and often will be damaged when the temperatures are in the mid-20s. It makes its best growth when daytime highs stay below 70 degrees.

Dawn
0
piscesfish
Original Author
13 years ago
Thanks Dawn!

They had been hardened off and are now planted in their own garden bed.

Kelly
0
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Okiedawn OK Zone 7
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You're welcome. They should enjoy this weeks's weather.
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