Frost Warning!

I've been a bit neglectful of my blog (and reading other blogs) this week as I've been busy with both work and renovations at home (arghh, still not done!).  So I don't know if everyone is hurting weather-wise.  In my case, I have been experiencing massive wind gusts for the past week or two.  And tonight there is a frost forecast.

Since I haven't posted a general view of my garden lately, that was supposed to be my next post.  And I guess, technically, that is what I'm doing ... it's just that everything is covered up!!  I knew this was coming but it isn't as if you can do anything sooner.  I can't very well cover up my plants all week in expectation!  So as soon as I got home from work (admittedly, I left a bit early today) I started to prepare for the dreaded frost.

I had pulled most seedlings out of the greenhouse over the week to harden off.  They quickly went back into the greenhouse.

 

Anything that was "lying around" on the other side of the yard ended up in the garage.

The bigger plants - pumpkin, summer and winter squash - were covered with overturned pots.  I have lots of pots so this was easy enough. 

Or in some cases I used "hot hats" ($20 or something like that for a set of 10 at Lee Valley).

This wheelbarrow is turned over some mousemelon plants.

And this contraption is a combination of whatever-that-material-is-called plus pieces of my old compost bin strategically placed around my sugar pumpkin plants.

Tomatoes in the garden were covered with plastic.  Or mostly covered.  I always start more seedlings than I need in case I lose some - so whatever, I covered as many as I felt like and I still have more than a dozen plants safely stowed in the greenhouse.

Pepper plants, ARGH!  I potted many of them up and really don't have room (or the energy) for them in the greenhouse.  So I really hope this plastic doesn't get blown away by the heavy winds.

And that's been a challenge ... to lay the plastic down in the first place, but also to make sure it will stay down.  For this garden of beans, I've used several different "objects" to keep it from blowing away.

The plastic, by the way, is leftover from the old greenhouse that I used to have.  I have TONS of it.  It's stored in my garage for use whenever I need it - like to build cold frames.  Or mostly to give away to friends.

So that's the current state.  I'll take another peak before it gets too dark as the wind is still pretty crazy.  And if all goes well (fingers crossed), I'll share a better update over the weekend!