We got a light frost on the 21st, which only affected cucumbers, basil, squash, etc. Wasn't even enough to kill off the marigolds.

However, I think it's the end of the road for everything tonight. The forecast calls for rain, possible changing to snow, with a low of 33º tonight, and 26º tomorrow night. Good thing I picked all of the tomatoes and peppers already!

Bonnie

Looks like it hits us tonight. I still have toms and basil out there. Should I pick it all now?

Floodthelast, you can either cover with an old sheet, or blanket, or a row cover if you have one, or pick everything. The basil will be toast if exposed to frost. With the tomatoes, it's possible that some of the tomatoes towards the bottom, that are protected by foliage, might be okay, but if it were me, and I couldn't cover them, I'd pick them all, even the green ones.

Today I ripped everything out (almost) and fed it to my compost. It's coming!!!
Time to tie up loose ends and batten down the hatches.
WAAAAH LOL
:)Laura
On A plus note I've got lots of milk jugs in my cellar.

Patchy frost predicted tonight here. Much to do yet in the garden. In fact, very little done so far. Rained every day last week, and have worked the past few days. Help!

I hate the cold.

Karen

Close one last night, brought my special poppy in the milk jug in, waiting for it to set seed. Next week sometime looks like it. Better watch things closely.

My newest plants I set out a little late I'm most worried about, wonder if I ought to try to cover some of them at night. Could probably keep them going another month but a huge hassle. I'm most worried about my delphiniums, and a couple things I set out from Bluestone.

And the poppy which I can bring inside and take out again.

It's right around the corner here and I still have seed I want to harvest. This is way too early for this nonsense.

It's 55 here now. Was 46 this morning. This is WAY too early. Last year my first frost was Nov 22. Now I know that was a late frost, but come on. We can't get frost yet. Like vera, my brugs are budding like crazy. I planted mine in the ground though.

I brought lots of pots into the garage last night as frost was iffy. Looks like we didn't get any in our neighborhood.

This is my first year growing brugmansia also. Have one that is full of buds and blooms, the first of the year. Another one is just finishing a flush and has bloomed on and off all summer. The yellow one in full sun stayed very short and is budding so will bring that one inside to bloom.

Dahlias in pots are full of blooms and buds so in they came.

A couple of large mixed pots were brought in so I can dig out a few of the plants to bring inside for the winter.

We could still have two weeks of good weather before a hard frost so most will go back out tomorrow. Those being overwintered inside will be potted up and brought inside now.

I was gone for two weeks and surprised how much everything had changed while I was away. Late sown Profusion zinnias look lovely and impatients are full of bloom and buds. Mums and asters in full bloom. Would hate to see them frosted so early.

We had a frost warning in the outlying areas last week and I am hoping we can avoid it so that my Brugmansia can bloom - first buds after two years. I don't want to bring it in to bloom - too much fear of bringing insects in.The aphids did a number on my tomatoes, peppers, and Yvonne's salvia which I grew indoors last year. I also want to collect seeds from some incredible Four O'clocks I grew this year, and from my Datura Belle Blanche. I brought in my hot pepper plants (properly treated) today - I grew them over the summer from the last seeds I had from my uncle who passed away this summer so they're very precious. Picked most of the tomatoes which were 'turning' so they won't get mealy. We'll be down to 4 degrees overnight, but they're hopping for warmer temps over the weekend, so that should do it.

It's only 31F on my deck this morning with frost on the roof and out on the lawn. I brought in a dozen coleus plants and the fuchsias into the breezeway last night so I wouldn't loose them. It's been so cold at night lately that the furnace kicked on 2 days ago. I am sooooo not ready for this! Usually our first frost is around the middle of October, so I'm wondering if this is a sign that it's going to be a cold winter.

I wish my castor beans would ripen - the seed pods are still pink. I'm only going to save seeds from the tallest plants (5 of them are between 12-13' tall).

Is it just me or did the summer just fly by this year?

Kris

I had a very light frost last week as well, lost Toms, Pumpkins, Watermelon (never got any this year, all the rain with no sun didnt help). Hasnt hit anything else yet. Im still waiting on yvonnes salvia and some other annuals to wrap it up so I can get some seeds! The delay on everything this year has really hurt on that end of things.

Silverkelt

Glad I saw your post kiddo(Kris). I will bring in my coleus too. Our temp only went down to 34F. Right now, it's 35F. I just looked at the coleus and it still looks fine. I also have another plant that looks like Elephant's Ears but this one is smaller(5" tall) and colorful leaves. Hopefully, they're still fine.

I am jealous of the height of your castor beans. My tallest which is in the full sun location only grew between 5 to 6 ft tall. You really had a good heat going in your area. Or maybe, could it be the type of castor beans I have? Which cultivar is it and where did you buy it?

I just came from outside and the temp did some minor damage to the cannas and castor beans. Maybe, we got lower than 34F.

v1rtu0s1ty - I have no idea which cultivar of castor beans I have. I bought them at a local nursery and they were seeds from the ones that the owner grows for display (which never get very tall for her). I'm assuming it's just the common ricinus communis. There are other cultivars listed on Wiki along with more info.

No heat - it was a cool summer (and very dry) this year. I think it only went into the 80s a handful of days all season. Mostly it was in the 70s/50s. I only turned on the a/c once or twice when the humidity was high...

Kris

Are you saying you can no longer save seeds after frost? I thought I read about collecting in the winter if they were still on the plant.

Some of my plants, Rudbeckia in particular, I'm not sure when they are ripe.

I think it's going to frost next Friday, will watch weather reports every day. Right now, it's 54F and rainy. We needed it though.

I think seeds would be fine as long as they're mature, especially perennials. Rudbeckia should be fine.

But annuals which have only immature seeds, once the plant croaks from frost, I wouldn't count on those being viable.

Karen

Last night we went to a low of 18C and tonight we will head to 8C, but that is the lowest yet. :O) I love fall!!

Karen, thanks. The only annual I want is alyssum, and they've shown no sign of setting seed, still blooming like crazy. I'll take a better look. I harvested quite a few a couple years back and don't remember if it was B4 or after FF. WS'ed those and got a bunch more. Easy to spring sow, too.

After the FF last year, I noticed the seeds then but didn't feel like harvesting them. Luckily they had self-seeded at some point like crazy.

Has anyone tried to start some under lights?

UGH! Tiffy, :)
You optomist! LOL
and in Canada too?!!
I hate the cold. Must be my princess blood.
Can't stand the heat or the cold.
:) Laura

aliska12000,

Your Alyssum should have seeds. If you look lower on the stems you will find seeds below the flowering tops. They are little papery circles with a seed encased. The new flowers come after older ones on the stems and they set seed first :)

Northerner,

My Brug was free of aphids and spider mites all season, but once I brought it in I gave it a good shower in the tub regardless. I also removed quite a few of the larger older leaves from midway through the bottom. The only insects I did find were baby roly poly's that were hatched under the straw mulch that covered the surface and ground around it (removed before bringing in). Once I drenched the pot in the tub I found them crawling up the sides looking for an escape. I crumpled up a piece of damp newspaper to trap any I missed.
Once it completes flowering the plan is to completely strip the plant, take cuttings and then let it go dormant. I do have insecticidal soap if need be.