Can brassica seedlings handle cold temperatures?

[Mara]

Where I live in West Wales

Sorry - I've been out of town and offline shortly after joining this forum. To answer Shirl's question: I'm near Maesllyn (5 miles from Newcastle Emlyn, 8 miles from Llangrannog, 15 miles from Cardigan.) I just moved here last May from California where veggie gardening was a whole different matter! :-)

It seems most of my neighbours grow everything under cover and plant out seedlings rather than sowing directly in the earth, because they need to be *really* fit for battle against the elements and the bugs!

[Snadger]

As far as I know the only brassicas that can be a bit fickle are Calabrese. Calabrese is not supposed to be frost hardy, but I must admit, mine stood well into the spring!
I suspect summer cauli's may produce golf ball sized heads if they get a bit of a check as well?
At this time of year though the severity of any frost we have shouldn't be too much to worry about with brassicas!
Funnily enough that's probably the reason why the instructions on my Calabrese seed packet says 'Sow from May onwards'

[shirlthegirl43]

Sorry - I've been out of town and offline shortly after joining this forum. To answer Shirl's question: I'm near Maesllyn (5 miles from Newcastle Emlyn, 8 miles from Llangrannog, 15 miles from Cardigan.) I just moved here last May from California where veggie gardening was a whole different matter! :-)

Blimey, we lived in the Bay area of San Francisco for too short a while back in 2001 - wonderful place. Which part are you from? Gonna be nosy now and ask what brought you to West Wales?

That makes 3 grapes within travel distance - pipscariad near Trefin, you up there, and me down here on the Cleddau.

[Mara]

I lived in California 28 years in the Carmel Valley and on the Monterey Peninsula – about two hours south of San Francisco. I actually had always wanted to live in Wales and it was only by chance that I ended up in the States. My work is writing and teaching about Celtic and British sacred and magical traditions, so I was always steeped in the lore of my native land and finally just had to come back. J

When I first moved to the Carmel Valley, I grew a biodynamic garden with lots of beans, tomatoes, basil, and 6 feet high corn. But there were definitely problems – f’rinstance with gophers, the little devils who burrow underground and whip your fine veggie plant literally from out under your feet.: it’s the weirdest thing to see your precious tomato plant disappearing into the ground!

Chalice Centre for Celtic and Western Magical Traditions