![]() ![]() This traps ethylene gas that helps ripen fruit. Many fruits can ripen indoors more quickly if placed in a paper bag that is loosely closed at the top. RELATED: 12 Perennial Vegetables to Plant for Years of Fresh Produce Ripen Indoors It can be tough to eat all of the last harvest right away, but there are plenty of tips on preserving your harvest, such as drying herbs, and canning, drying, or freezing fruit and vegetables. Store pumpkins and squash in a dry location for later use. In fact, many fruits, including apples, peaches, pears, grapes, cantaloupe, and persimmon, ripen after picking. Tomatoes and peppers can ripen indoors after harvest. Be sure to pick tender herbs such as basil and oregano. Beans, peas, corn, melons, cucumbers, eggplant, and most greens should be harvested early, since they don’t handle frost well. When all else fails, harvest what you can. In addition to providing an insulating effect, water strengthens plants and enables them to withstand temperature changes better.įor best results, water late in the day because the water vapor creates a microclimate that will help plants stay warm and resist freezing. Moist soil actually holds up to four times more heat than dry soil, and conducts that heat to the soil surface faster, creating a microclimate in which the air above it is five degrees warmer. RELATED: The Dos and Don’ts of Mulching the Garden Warming Water In addition, a layer of mulch will prevent perennials from putting out new growth at the end of the season, allowing them to go dormant for the winter. ![]() Mulch also preserves much-needed moisture. Dark mulch absorbs more of the sun’s warmth, which it releases into the soil around the plants at night. Material choices to minimize frost damage include wood chips, bark, pine needles, straw, and even shredded leaves (including if they’re moldy). Ensure air circulation and be sure to remove the covers during the heat of the day, reapplying in the early evening.Īdding a 2- to 4-inch layer of mulch, particularly in the afternoon while the soil is warm, can help protect roots from overnight dips in temperature. Whatever type of cover you choose, make it breathable. You can use old sheets or drop cloths (using supports to keep the cover from touching the plants), burlap, row covers made of non-woven polyester, or cloches. Even cool-season crops like lettuce and other leafy greens, carrots, and radishes can benefit from overnight covering to protect them from frost and extend the growing season. Gardeners can save many crops from an early frost. RELATED: Hardiness Zones 101: What All Home Gardeners Need to Know Cover up Cool-season crops that can survive a frost or even an early freeze include asparagus, cabbage, kale, spinach, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, collards, potatoes, and onions. Hardy plants generally have higher levels of sugar in their leaves, which enables them to tolerate lower temperatures. Examples of frost-tolerant plants include lettuce, cauliflower, endive, peas, carrots, Chinese cabbage, celery, chard, and chicory. Common tender fruits and vegetables include watermelon, squash, pumpkin, cantaloupe and muskmelon, eggplant, cucumber, okra, pepper, beans, tomatoes, and most herbs.įrost-tolerant plants can withstand brief periods of cold or frost, but beyond very limited periods, would require protection. Use tiny snips for this task so you don't pull up nearby developing carrot roots.Tender plants are easily damaged by frost or cold weather, requiring protection to survive.
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