Frost-Free
Oct. 13th, 2012 04:28 pm My diligence paid off, and nearly everything in the garden that I tried to protect made it through the night with little to no frost damage. I moved a bunch of containers into the basement and watering everything left outside at about 5:30 on Friday, and then rewatered the tomatoes and tomatillos and flower beds again at about 10am with the intention of getting the leaves wet. I also woke up at 5 and went outside and briefly turned the sprinkler on again; I think it was slightly above freezing then, as there were no ice crystals on the grass, and leaves that I checked didn't seem to be in distress. When I got up for real later in the morning and surveyed everything, I found that the tomatoes and tomatillos were largely unscathed; just some of the outer tips of stalks are withered. The nasturtiums, mums, zinnias, dahlias, Montauk daisies, and mint all came through fine. The only major casualties were the green beans in containers; many of the leaves have that frozen-green color, so I think they're done for the year. I brought out all the containers I put in the basement. We're supposed to be frost-free for the next week or so, so I'm looking forward to a few more tomatoes, tomatillos, and flowers before the first killing frost.