Friday, October 12, 2012

Killing Frost

     The killing frost is always a very defining time of the fall season for me. The killing frost kills all soft annuals and some perennials. You can cover your plants but they will still freeze. The time below zero is too long and the frost will penetrate through covers you may have on your plants.

    A week ago Thursday we had the killing frost. It went down to minus 6 (21 or 22 F). When I came out in the morning my tomato plants were black and all leaves were limp. They were toast! Impatience that were unprotected were frozen. One impatience right beside my house was fine. I had carrots, turnips and parsnips in the garden and they were fine as they can take lots of frost. If these plants have a god frost you find that they are sweeter and better tasting. 

     Once the killing frost is over with you can  stop worrying about this event. You can quit watering and begin cleaning up the yard. So out go the tomato plants and impatience. Pull the carrots and bring them into storage. A few days later bring in the turnips and freeze them. I cook and bag them so that they are ready to pull out of the freezer, microwave and your eating. In a few more days I will dig up he parsnips. I slice the parsnips and freeze them. I like to fry them and find they are very tasty.

     So once you're finished living in protecting mode you can get on with cleaning everything up. Sometimes we get many more pleasant fall days and have lots of time for fall jobs. Other years you have to pick your days and what gets done gets done and some of it will have to wait until next year.

     So I look forward to some more pleasant fall and then the next defining moment is when the deep freeze and snow settle in for a more permanent visit.

18 comments:

  1. i like your attitude. 'well that's over with' now move on. :)

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    1. I learned that from being outdoors an awful lot in my life. You couldn't run to the house. You just had to carry on.

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  2. I went out into my garden and pulled up a bunch of spent plants. I still have some other ones (like collards) awaiting that killing frost. I understand it makes them sweeter! Thanks for letting me know what you are doing with your garden. :-)

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    1. I have watched your gardening reports and how gardening there seems to be a lot different.

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  3. I love that you're living is such harmony with nature. I wouldn't know what needed to be done each season and I'd be too lazy to do it anyway.

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    1. The taste of veggies from the garden is something you would never forget. It's why I work so hared at gardening. Stuff you buy from the store is total crap.

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  4. We are getting an odd ground frost but nothing serious.
    It looks as if you are well provided for over the winter.

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    1. My garden produces a few things that can be preserved but not much. City gardens are just too small.

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  5. I know there are many wonderful things about having those four seasons, but frankly after all this time in subtropical northern Australia I wouldn't be able to cope with frost at all. I do miss being able to grow lovely daffodils and tulips, and there are too many bugs around to bother with roses. But there's no shortage of wonderful alternatives. And being able to breakfast outdoors for all but a few days of the year makes up for quite a lot of seasonal variations.

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    1. To each his own. I never thought of a place where it's the same all year.

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  6. Brought all the flower pots (still with flowers) from the lake place to the house...a whole truck full...now I have to take those and the ones from the house down the basement...I have a difficult time just letting them freeze...my daughter tells me that they are annuals...they are suppose to die each year..however, I try to save them all...my basement will be full for the winter...

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  7. Judy, Judy, you are a sucker for punishment. Listen to your daughter. I find that the annuals last until about March. However if you enjoy them go for it.

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  8. Wow that is cold! We have reached the mid 30's here so far. Won't be long before we reach the 20's.

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  9. Lovely fall day here, since the cold had taken care of the annuals for me, I used their space for daffodils and grape hyacinth bulbs by the front door. I will be waiting for them to show up next spring and join the ones already there.

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  10. Red tis the season to clean up the gardens and beds for sure. I was out doing just that yesterday and now my patio looks bare. Oh well, such is life and soon enough it's going to be Spring again... I hope! lol

    Have fun preparing your veggies, mind you I'd guess you're probably mostly done by now as I'm finally making rounds and you posted this a few days back.

    How long can we leave carrots in the ground for after the first killing frost? I didn't plant a garden this year but it'd be good to know for the future. Thanks.

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    1. With carrots, just make sure you get them out of the ground before the ground freezes.

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  11. I am ready for fall. As you know, my veggie garden didn't survive.
    I am happy to begin clean up! Love the changing seasons!
    Cheers from Cottage Country!

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  12. You never know about the fall weather..you are correct..some years we have lots of days for fall work..some years only a few days. We are 95 % done with out outside work..some nice days it is just fun to watch the birds and relax:)

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