Recently we had overnight temps in the upper thirties. Our peppers, okra, tomatoes, and more, needed to be harvested before a potential frost. At 32 degrees Fahrenheit, frost will occur, although even if the reported temperature is above that, small pockets of frost can occur, damaging tender summer vegetables and flowers. With that in mind, I like to harvest all summer crops when the forecast predicts temperatures below 40.
Understanding Frost Timing
One of the most important things to learn when you begin gardening is your gardening zone and average frost dates. Your gardening zone is a geographical area that shares the same average frost dates. Average frost dates are the average first frost after summer, and last frost after winter.
For example, my zone, 8b, has an average last frost date of March 14th. After this date, a frost is uncommon, so planting summer crops and flowers is most likely safe. At the end of the season, my zone’s first frost date is November 8th, so when planning my summer garden, I need to keep in mind that my summer crops and flowers could be killed off by frost at that point. Planting summer veggies like tomatoes or peppers at this time isn’t a good idea, because they will not be able to reach maturity before the frost hits.
To find your gardening zone, google “gardening zone” plus your zip code. To find your frost dates, google your zone + “frost dates.” Keep in mind that these dates are averages. They are not guaranteed.
Assessing the Fall Garden
I grew a lot of indigo in my garden this summer. Indigo seeds seem to take forever to mature, but I want to be sure and harvest a lot of seeds. I want to save enough to plant more next year, and share some. Indigo is very sensitive to frosts, and I wasn’t sure if it would negatively affect mature seeds, so I wanted to get those seeds indoors. I also gathered mature marigold seeds, dried luffa gourds, and okra pods.
It was necessary to harvest the remaining peppers, tomatoes, and okra in the garden. Frost will definitely kill these plants and damage the fruit. Even though the tomatoes were still very green, I had no choice but to harvest. Other plants that can’t survive frost include melons, cucumbers, basil, squash, beans, and more.
The garlic, carrots, and radishes I planted back in September are looking great. They will keep growing all winter, undamaged by frost. Other veggies like cabbages, kale, broccoli, cauliflower, and more, will survive frosts and prefer cool temperatures.
Fall Garden Reflections
This fall season was a little disappointing. I had big plans to grow lots of cabbages and winter greens. Unfortunately, rats or mice ate most of my seedlings as soon as they sprouted. Only the carrots, radishes, and garlic survived. I’m really grateful for that though! Next year I will be more prepared to prevent rats/mice. Gardening is always humbling.
From what I can tell, I’ve got loads of indigo seeds! I’m waiting for them to dry out some more, and then I will begin threshing and cleaning them. Eventually I will do a germination test to see if my seeds are viable. I hope to offer them for sale in my shop!
I also managed to save a lot of coreopsis and marigold seeds for natural dye flowers. Along with cotton, okra, cow peas, and luffa gourds. (I’ll be sharing a longer post all about growing cotton later.)
With some successes, and some failures, the fall 2024 garden was a learning experience. I’m grateful that I got everything in before the frost! My next tasks are to do a bit more weeding, and mulch all the beds. Mulch will help protect the soil throughout the winter, which is fast approaching!
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