Saturday, October 13, 2012

A Visit From Jack Frost

We were warned and he is here. Jack Frost came to us a full eighteen days sooner than last year. I admit it, I was spoiled by last year's late first frost on October 31 and the old timers around here tell me they were used to first frost coming more around Oct. 1, so to them this is late. I will take every extra growing day I can get! Aren't we lucky to live in an age when the weather forcasters give us good warning of the coming temps as opposed to having to make our best guess? They are not always accurate, but it sure does help!
 So yesterday I picked every last pepper, green bean and green tomato that was still out there. Now I need to make the time to process them. The timing of this could have been worse; later this week I'm off to New York to my son's wedding, so I guess I'm glad the freeze happened today and not next Thursday or Friday!
 You can see the rime on this kale plant. Thankfully, kale, brussels sprouts and leeks should be giving me a little harvest yet before the winter winds blow cold.
Sad to see the sagging pepper plants! They were so strong and healthy yet, unlike the tomato and eggplant plants that had long since given up.
 The early morning garden is covered with frosty crystals. Brrr, it is cold!
 Bye-bye bean patch #3! I'm sorry you didn't have time for your second blossoming this year!
Some fallen frost-lined leaves adorn the newly sprouted spinach. I forgot to mulch the patch, so I wonder if it has any chance at all of overwintering. Later today I'll go back down to see what may have survived the early morning cold. Now I will have to concentrate on the garden clean up for sure!

10 comments:

  1. I think our freeze was a little earlier than usual this year. You harvested a lot of nice veggies before it got you! Nancy

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    1. It took me half the afternoon to get those peppers ready for the freezer and I shortened the task a bit by giving my friend a bagful!

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  2. It looks like you are going to have a busy week! Have a great time at your son's wedding next weekend!

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    1. Thank you Robin! Yes I am going to be busy and more than a bit stressed, but look forward to it all. I tried your green tomato salsa and it came out great!

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  3. Yes we definitely have it good, knowing what the weather is going to be. We don't think about that much but it really makes a difference.

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    1. In the old days it was do your best to guess by the signs or go strictly by date on the calender. The first group must've been tempted to take chances and the second group probably often missed those extra growing days they could've used.

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  4. And you actually got frost. We just got really cold. I've never seen the air so cold without a frost at this time of the year.

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    1. That's what it was like up by our house Daphne. We live on a hill and it was cold but not frosty. The garden is at the bottom of the hill and there was plenty of frost there!

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  5. Yup, that was my morning view after the frost as well.

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    1. It had to come, didn't it? And today it's 75 degrees out!

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