Broccoli Seedlings are Planted

I finished double-digging my 5x25 foot bed today, working in several cubic feet of compost and about a pound of all-purpose fertilizer. I fly to Europe on Monday, and I will be there for 3 weeks, so it is important to get plants out before I leave. I put out 16 broccoli seedlings, but they are really tiny. I would have liked for them to have been a little bigger, but I think they would have outgrown the flats by the time I get back. It was difficult to plant them, because the topsoil in the flats kept falling apart when I would try to get the seedlings out. I have to remember to put my broccoli in bigger containers next year before I transplant them. There is a chance of freezing tonight, and I am afraid some of them will go into shock and I will lose them. I did plant them deep; up to their tiny leaves. I think if it doesn't freeze tonight and they can take root, they will be OK.

If they make it past this first week or two, I expect them to take off. The plants that I put in back in August have really started growing. I am harvesting heads every couple of days now. In the fall I am going to put in quite a few plants and just let them go through the winter. I know that come February, I will have broccoli to harvest.

I have a dilemma on my other plants. The 10-day forecast shows 1 night below freezing. We are nearly past freezing weather here, and up until today there were no days of really cold weather in the 10-day forecast. I have a number of other transplants that have really outgrown their flats. There are some tomatoes, some jalapenos, yellow squash and zucchinis. I am afraid if I put them out, the freeze will get them all and I will have to replant in March. But, I will probably go ahead and put them out, and just remember to not use those flats next year. Plants just outgrow them too quickly. I may put some clear plastic containers over the top of them for a miniature greenhouse.

The peas that I transplanted are doing OK, but neither the carrots nor the pea seeds that I put in the ground have sprouted. I expect that when I get back from Europe, they will be coming on strong.