31 degrees..........

[montanamato]

I hate when that happens. Will be 90 in 2 days again and probably won't freeze for 3 more weeeks.
I did pull 6 containers in last night and covered about 20 determinates in the garden, plus a few others.
Kids will be bummed about the pumpkins and cukes. I had picked a handful of winter squash and pumpkins earlier last week, but would have had a lot more in another 10 days.
This was the first year we had ripe Cream of Saskatchewan watermelon, so it could have been worse.
I still get a sick feeling in my stomach with the first frost though....

Jeanne

[dokutaaguriin]

Morn' Jeanne,
I, too, was extremely worried about the temps last night. I covered up a few my vegies outside just in case of frost. I don't think we had any but it certainly is very cool this morning. I had the heater going full blast to protect the last of the tomatoes in the greenhouse.

Just think of how sweet the carrots will be.....

Jeff

[Mantis]

Just coming into fall and worried about frosts. I would move. Shallow, I know. Mantis *down rooboy down*

[barkeater]

Jeanne, the pumpkins and winter squash should be fine if it wasn't 31 for many hours. They can take a light frost too. The outer rind may have a slight darker discoloration but otherwise be OK.

[jwr6404]

Jeanne&Barkeater
I apologise for being off topic but you two mentioned winter Squash. I planted Adapazari Squash seeds from Turkey. It is a larger sweet Hubbard type,I guess. I have one is 40+ pounds,several are 30+ pounds. When is the right time to harvest?

[spyfferoni]

Jeanne, I feel your pain. My garden is still Ok, but in the intermountain west anything is possible. I feel like things are just getting started for me, and would be heartbroken if it ended before I did any canning (my first year). I really want to try canning Annie's salsa from the harvest forum, and also some tomatoes to have for the winter. I find canned tomatoes in the winter beat anything fresh from the store, and we use canned tomatoes on tacos and stuff.

Good luck with everything!

P.S. I lost all of my winter squash to squash bugs this year, but do have some pumpkins that made it. Next year I will use something to dust them---I was trying to do everything organtic this year.

Tyffanie

[tomakers]

It was below 32 degrees on our cranberry bogs last night. My garden is at a little higher elevation so it was OK, but the end is coming soon and I have so many tomatoes trying to ripen.

[barkeater]

jwr, harvest all winter squashes, leaving an inch or so of stem on, when the stem starts drying or you expect a hard frost. Cure them in the field or in a very warm room for 5 days or so. I usually cure mine in a sunny window.

I store mine in the coolest place possible that is above freezing.