Frost Damage To Vegetable Crops

Frost damage on cabbage

Pitting from frost damage

After our meeting yesterday, I met with Colquitt Agent Amber Arrington to look at some vegetables hit hard by freezing temperatures. Here is some cabbage just above the Thomas/Colquitt line that was direct seeded last month. Some fields were hit harder than others. This field had a better stand and more plants not killed by frost. To check for damage, we looked at the buds and also cut laterally into the stem. If pitting is present in the stem, the plant is likely too injured to come out of injury. Sometimes the pitting comes from the knife, so it can be hard to tell. This field was direct seeded to save money on transplanting costs which was the biggest issue here. The drawback is the risk with weed control and freezing temperatures. Injury may also depend on the cold acclimation plants get prior to freezing temperatures.

Here is also some Emerald Crown broccoli hit by frost. This field of broccoli was planted later than the others and the only one didn’t get cut. The heads are not salvageable now and will not be able to be cut.

Emerald Crown Broccoli -Frost Damage