Early frosts look like they may catch some of us off guard this autumn. Already it has been very cold overnight with a hint of frost on the car windscreen in the early morning today. There may be one or two things growing in your veg garden that won’t withstand frost, so be prepared to harvest them early.
What plants need to be harvested before frost?
If you have these plants growing outside, then they will be best harvested before a frost. That doesn’t mean you have to harvest them all right now just in case – just keep an eye on the forecast and be ready to do a quick veg patch raid if needs be.
- Squash, Pumpkins & Courgettes
- Cucumbers
- Beans
- Sweetcorn
- Tomatoes
- Chillies & Peppers
- Aubergine
What about other plants?
Most other summer veg that you have growing should be okay – any brassicas, chard, spinach, leeks and most roots will be fine with a little light frost. Summer lettuces will probably not survive (but might if you cover them with fleece or a cloche), but mustard greens and wild rocket/mizuna should be fine.
I’ve just planted out autumn veggies – will they be okay?
Yes. All the plants that we sell for autumn planting are suitable for winter growing and will tolerate a light frost. You may wish to cover them with a cloche tunnel or horticultural fleece just to give them a bit of growing oomph, but they will withstand the chillier nights.