Cooler weather on the Way

Posted by Kate Copsey Aug 21, 2006

Earlier this week, along with all the news of the day, I heard that a threat of frost was issued for somewhere in the US. The brief mention didn't give me chance to see which gardeners this would effect, but it did bring home the thought that with kids going back to school comes cooler weather. Most first frost occurs between mid September to late October, so that will soon be here for most of us. Check with your local extension educator to see when your county generally gets the first frost. Remember that this date is only an average date, so the actual date you get a frost may be up to a week earlier or later. Now is the time to plan for that event. Know which plants you need to protect from a light early frost and which can survive until the colder nights have started for good. For a single light frost a simple cover will protect the plants, but for a heavy frost, most tender plants will succumb and die. This is fine for annuals such as tomatoes and peppers, but if it is a tender perennial, you can bring the plant inside to winter in the house before the frost occurs. Cooler weather also is a time to plant a second garden specializing in cool temperature vegetables such as lettuces and kales. Pansies are another popular cool weather plant that adds late season color to your garden.