Frozen broccoli Seedling

Well, as we know I enjoy a good experiment. As a new gardener I like to document everything! A week ago here in NJ our temps dropped so much that my fabric pots all froze! Thankfully, I had only planted in one of my pots so far. Broccoli being a cooler weather crop I felt comfortable planting these outside. However, what I wish I had done, was bring in my broccoli pot in when I realized the temps were dropping to the level of FREEZING! However, I didn't and every ounce of the soil surrounding my sweet little broccoli seedlings was hard as a rock!

The video here does not show in the best detail just how desperate parts of my broccoli seedlings appeared. Some of the leaf stems were "pinched" and looked like slimy old spinach you might find in your fridge. I honestly was really undecided on leaving the leaves OR removing them. I opted to remove the ones that appeared in really bad condition. My thinking was that the plant may waste too much energy on the unhealthy parts of the plant. Logical? I have no clue. However, I went with my theory and removed the bad leaves. One of my broccoli plants was nothing but a stem by time I was done.

This experiment is something I will continue to update on. I am uncertain on if these seedlings will eventually produce some good broccoli OR if they will just take up space in a pot until they whither away. None the less, bring those pots in if freezing temps are expected.

Best of luck!!