There are plastic fabrics made by Agribon that offer cold protection down to about 8 degrees. There are several differnet thicknesses, and that 8 degree range is the thickest of all. Because the fabric must not be in direct contact with the leaves of the plants, you would need make some kind of half hoop tent or other raised trusses to help hold the cloth away from the plants. Beans, can dry off the vine, and beets can survive a some frost as they will only lose foliage. If the beans arent ready to be dried as seeds, you can always salvage any that are now big enough. You would be surprised as to the size of the beans inside some pods. Pole beans are easy to find as seeds, there are many, and Vermont Bean has more varieties than most bean varieties than any other seed dealer. Buttercup squash will probably not make it, but if the plastic fabric cloth helps to keep some warmth in, it may give you a little extra time. Buttercup not even ripe now, would need at least another 30 days to ripen to hard green color. Over nights are usually when frosts hit, and even in Z5, they are usually only a few nights in a row, then most of the time it gets a bit warmer again, especially during the daytime. Any coverings you plan to use must also allow light through as well as water, so a plain cloth sheet may not be appropriate. The site below offers huge rolls of Agribon, but you should also be able to find smaller sizes. It also is reusable for several years, provided its folded and kept dry after use. I have several thicknesses here, and covered a whole peach/plum tree when it blossomed and we had a sudden frost in full bloom. Only lost a few of the flowers and leaves to frost, but that was because it was just draped over the 25 foot tall tree (try doing that without a ladder in the late afternoon!). Root crops should be fine. Because this product is a non woven plastic, I use an impulse heater to bond two sheets togther to make a larger size or double up on the thickness if necessary.

Hope you get well soon!

Here is a link that might be useful: Agribon plastic fabrics

Thanks Ken, I got the biggest and best beans inside. That fabric sounds great, but I only have until morning to mess around in the garden. I found quite a few squash that were ready, so unless the frost holds off I guess the rest are a gonner.

Maybe if at night hubby throws a few blankets on the pumpkins when we are getting frost may be we can squeak them by............. I really wish we wouldn't lose them, they are for my neice and nephew and they have been excited watching them grow. I carved their names in them when they were softball sized. The kids were so cute when they saw them for the first time. They thought it was some kind of magic pumpkins that knew their names.

I am glad the beets might make it as we have never had golden beets and they should be ready soon.

Thanks again Ken, for help and well wishes, hope things are going better for you too!

An old blanket may help too. Suggest that you somehow raise it off the plants and leaves. Use a few pieces of wood or somthing that can just sit there and give the blanket some height. If it rains, it will be messy. Remove the covering in the morning and, and then recover them again before dark if there are more frosts predicted.

never-give-up,

I think I've missed you for today, but in case you check in on this thread when you're out of the hospital, bean seeds shouldn't be ruined by frost. After all, that's how things grow in nature, right? Seeds fall in autumn, lie dormant in winter, and sprout when the weather warms up.

A blanket may well be all you need for those pumpkins, so don't give up on them, and do ask hubby to do that!

How wonderful to read about the names in the pumpkins.

And the beets should be fine. A little frost never hurt 'em.

Best of luck to you. Hope the harvest you have and the canning you've done bring you and your family joy.

Zabby

Hope your feeling well this morning and survived the frost warnings.
We dipped down also last night, started the woodburner.
For covers, I use old sheer curtains, have for years.
You can pick them up at yard sales or thrift stores cheap. I have protected early crops down below freezing and season extenders for now.
I have used old bed sheets, but they get heavy this time of the year with shorter daylight, the sheer curtains will be lighter and allow for more air circulation

I also hope you feel well this morning and that you escaped frost.

Like others here, I've used old sheets, towels, sheets of plastic meant to cover windows, newspapers, anything at hand that I can find to protect my plants from a sudden frost.

The beets are fine, a light frost won't even make 'em blink. Parsnips I leave in the ground all winter, Grandpa said that's what makes them sweet, so I know they're fine. Ditto the carrots.

Squash and pumpkins will need covering, and I hope they survived.

Like Zabby, I believe your beans will be fine, it's nature's way of handling things naturally anyway.

Good luck, we're supposed to get a frost tonight and the only thing I'm messing with is the pot of basil on my back deck and one jalapeno pepper that I have growing in a pot, for reasons I don't remember, LOL.

Annie

Mother Nature decided to give us a break this time and we missed this frost. I am glad that I won't lose most of what is left out there to frost. Hubby is going to see if we can get the kid's pumpkins through with blankets.

The idea of seeds in nature taking care of themselves didn't occur to me. I was just thinking: beans, tender, frost, BLAST! lol

That does make a lot of sence now that I can think about it.

Thank you for your tips and well wishes.

I have dill and flowers sprouting up everywhere in my garden from the year before. Even my asparagus has a few seeds that will fall and plant themselves. The following year I will see 6 inch tall 'gus ferns where these new ones grow. Right now,in front of my compost, there is a tomato plant. Quite large, but has only a single tomato on it. It was a leftover from last summers big beefy ones, from a dropped seed. I doubt it will survive. On the other hand, my thyme started in pots from seeds has gotten huge, in its second year out there. Things like wild onions, garlic grass and my walking purple onions are all sprouting now and in the following year too.

never-give-up, I haven't any advice to offer you other than what others have already written. But just know that someone you've never met, out in the CA Central Valley has put you on her prayer list for a return to health.

By the forum name you've chosen, I can tell that you have the spirit to beat the cancer, so put up your dukes and let your family and friends guard your back. ;)

Thank you so much rachelellen! Would you please thank the person who did this for me and tell her that it means the world to me? You know, this is the first time that a Harvest Forum post has made me cry. LOL (It was a good cry)

Thanks again