Does anyone have any experience/insights on the impact of freezing weather on seed crops when the pods are still green? I currently have a broccoli seed crop where the pods are plump and green but have not started to dry out noticeably; (broccoli takes forever to dry down). Tonight it is going to drop into the mid-20s, and due to other events I was unable to cover them.
Has anyone experienced this, and what were the results?
Depends how far along they are, but there’s a good chance that at least some of the seeds will be viable. I would just wait for the pods to dry down and then collect them and process out the seeds. Some people have reported good results from pulling the entire plant and hanging it, often in a garage, to dry, usually with a tarp underneath. For me that’s an undesirable extra layer of process. I would just leave the plants in place until the pods dry, checking frequently because the pods will soon shatter and release the seeds once they are dry. Even if that happens, not all is lost because you will likely get volunteer plants next year from seeds that shatter before you can collect them. Whatever seems reasonable for you… Brassica oleracea is a very forgiving plant.