Broccoli and frost!

Hi All
I really hope someone might be able to help me. Myself and a group of students have started up a horticulture club. It has been running with fairly good success for 18 months now, but we have hit a problem with one of our crops.
Back in October, we planted some broccoli plants. They have been grown in a polytunnel and were doing really well, large, healthy and just starting to produce a head. I have covered them on particularly cold days or nights with bubble wrap. But this morning when we went to look at them the frost had got them and they now look rather limp and sad. Will they recover or is that the end of them?
Jim

 

Welcome to Gardeners Corner Jim

It should recover, brassica's can put up with a fair bit of cold

 

Thank you both for your reply. It's good news we're not going to lose them. I've just checked and they look happier already! I'm a bit of a novice at this, but it's something I enjoy and the pupils get so much out of it, so hopefully we will have a successful harvest.
Thanks again

 

The one time I grew broccoli, we had a very harsh winter. The broccoli spent several sessions, each lasting several days, actually covered in snow. I still got a crop off it.

I'm not sure if it makes a difference, the one I grew didn't form the familiar heads, but rather lots of spikes that you cut off as and when needed, and more grow, as opposed to cutting down the whole plant at harvest time.

 

@clueless1 I think you're referring to the sprouting broccoli types. As far as I know both the traditional and sprouting sorts are toughies and manage even through even harsh winters.

 

Mine often goes floppy in the cold weather, but soon perks up again when it warms up

 

Glad I'm not alone on that one Zigs

 

Id be covering crops in fleece never bubble plastic in a polytunnel. Bubble plastic over fleece if outside to stop the fleece getting wet and freezing only. IMHO