Cold Tolerance Front Almost Here

How cold can broccoli, brussel sprouts, lettuce and cabbages get? We have had a couple 28 degree nights but the forecast is calling for 19 degrees. I have several broccoli with heads and was planning on harvesting rather than lose them but would like options. My brussel sprouts haven't started producing yet and my cabbages are just firming up small heads. Lettuce is large but I can't eat all of it. My carrots and radishes are under a blanket and will mound leaves around them this morning. Also my young brassicas.
What about multiplying onions and garlics?
No precipitation, lots of wind.

Thanks so much,
Joy

This message was edited Jan 5, 2014 4:27 PM

Brussel Sprouts usually taste better after being exposed to a couple of light frosts but 19 is pretty low! I would think you could cover them with a blanket and hope for the best! The lettuce will for sure have to be covered because once it freezes the leaves get pretty limp.

I'd expect the garlic to be OK as we grew it over winter here and harvest in July or so. I don't know it it will kill the leaves and set it back though. The same with the multiplier onions.

Report after one day at 17F degrees: Broccoli, lettuce, garlic, onions, radishes, beets, carrots = all fine (even the baby tender lettuce).
The Fennel doesn't look good. It was under cover because of a large tree nearby dropping leaves ... I did remove the cover today and the small bulbs seems kind of rotten. Maybe it will come back again ... the center is still bright green.

Good news, especially on the baby lettuce!!! My garlic is hopefully surviving the -20 wind chill factors and regular -º temps! Don't have the others in the ground except any onions I missed harvesting will usually make it through the winter and produce the next year to form seeds.

With one eye on the rains- even the lettuce, collards, green onions, fernleaf dill, radishes, parsley,turnips,carrots and late sown beets have rebounded fine- they froze in our dry freezes without being covered and were dry and brittle til temps came up. Salvia in #3 has me impressed- it doesnt look bad at all, but the everlasting sage is dried bare branches, expected, but they may drown soon...drip,drip,drip...

One thing I have learned observing the veggies I grow in my own yard is that they tolerate the cold temps far, far better than they tolerate the WIND constantly blowing them around!

My veggies were protected under pvc hoops covered with 4 mil clear plastic sheeting during our two nights of low-20° hard freezes. After I uncovered them, they were fine. But, I left them uncovered, and after a day of blustery winds, they looked pretty beat up. So, I've kept the hoops covered with the plastic, and not only have they settled down, they have almost doubled in size in just about 1 week under the hoops.

If I could offer one bit of advice to help you grow better veggies, it would be to grow your plants under a covered hoop.

P.S. If you live in a more temperate climate, cover the hoops with some cheap tulle (bridal veil fabric). It will provide a buffer against the wind.

Linda