Texas Gardening: Who else got rain?, 2 by Gymgirl

Gymgirl wrote:
Gypsi,

I started some cool/cold weather veggies (broccoli, cabbages, collards) indoors in my "warm room," two weeks ago, on Wednesday, July 30th. They were up by Sunday, August 3rd.

As of today, they are almost throwing out a 2nd set of true leaves. Since I don't snip seedlings to thin, I'll be separating them this weekend to individual pots, and moving the trays to my "cool room" to grow on for the next 4 weeks. Wonky ventilation in my house affords me a "too warm" and a "too cool" room -- I just go with the flow, and it works very well for the seedlings, LOL! They'll be transplanted out the weekend of September 13th.

Gardeners on another forum asked why I bother to start these cool weather seedlings indoors with the Texas weather being so warm out. They just throw their seeds out and park them under a shady spot. They say the wind hardens them off, then they just move them to where they'll be transplanted.

What those gardeners don't take into account is that they are growing in Zones 5a and 8b, Ohio and Kentucky -- I'm growing in Hellfires of Zone 9a.

Like LiseP said, the seed'll take off just fine in our 98° heat. But, then, they will begin to languish and suffer against the +100° ambient air temps. I've found that when they struggle like that early on, the production down the line is negatively impacted.

Last season, I set my seedlings out in too much heat. This season, I'd rather hold them inside after germination, in as cool a location as I can. They grow steadily, and sturdily. When I begin to feel the slightest chill in the air is when I'll consider setting them out for hardening off. Then, they will make a very smooth transition into the cool weather, and not stall after transplanting. If all goes well, they'll grow even faster, and produce a better final product.

Hope this helps.

Pic#1 Georgia collards (old seeds)
Pic #2 Arcadia Broccoli
Pic #3 Early Jersey Wakefield Cabbages

This message was edited Aug 14, 2014 8:43 AM