October 7th marked a dreaded turning point in my garden—the arrival of the first fall frost.
I watched the forecast, and when temperatures dropped, I covered my most cherished late-season plants with sheets to protect them from the impending chill.
Before the predicted but unrealized frost earlier in the week, I harvested the zucchini and tomatoes. I made bouquets with most of the remaining flowers, bringing a splash of color indoors.
This morning, as I let the pups outside, I was greeted by the crunch of frost underfoot. The thermometer read an invigorating 28.5 degrees.
A few resilient plants have emerged victorious. The carrots, now sweetened by the cold, are primed for harvest this weekend. Parsley adds a pop of green to the fading garden; verbena and one variety of marigolds have held on, along with the kale that stands strong against the frost.
Sadly, the pumpkins, which kept producing until the last moment, didn’t survive, along with the thunbergia vine on my garden arch.
Overall, it was a particularly good garden year for me. It’s bittersweet to say farewell to the growing season, but at the same time, it’s a bit of a relief to call it quits.
