WTF, NATURE? It's going to frost? In the middle of May? WTF is wrong with you? Can't you see that people have already planted their tomatoes and cucumbers, you know, the stuff that dies when it's touched by frost? What do you have against summer squash? Why? WHHHYYYY?

{sigh} Okay, I feel better.





When I head about the frost warning I was not about to let something stupid like four hours of potentially freezing conditions rob me of an entire year of vegetables, so I went on the defensive. I bought a big roll of burlap and took every blanket in the house and covered anything that I thought would be worth saving, which was everything that I planted this season.

Next, I'm going to go on the offensive and burn a tree. Take that, environment! (I kid, I kid. I love trees...when they aren't falling on stuff I like.)





I draped both vegetable beds in the back yard in fabric, as well as the bonus strawberry patch. Vegetables like peas, lettuce, mont, onions, salad greens, and swiss chard can take a little cold and be left uncovered, but varm weather plants like melons, cucumbers, zucchini, squash, tomatoes, and basil will turn black the second they freeze. Even if the plants don't die their yield will be seriously compromised. Strawberries can also usually take the cold, but mine were already fruiting, so I didn't want to take any chances. Anything in a container won a free trip indoors for a few days.



In case of a super crisis where the temperatures dip well below freezing, I sewed together several cloth pouches and filled them with dry rice. Some people heat these bags in the microwave and then use them to relax sore muscles. I will use mine to protect strategically important parts of the garden. I tested them and found that they were still warm after an hour and a half, which might be enough to keep the frost away in their vicinity until morning.

BRING IT, NATURE!!

*Update* Crisis averted. It only got down to 39 degrees last night. (I spent the night a work and checked the temperature regularly. Yay, but boo.) Suck it, freezing conditions!

Labels: gardening, projects

posted by Alison 5/17/2009 11:02:00 PM : (0) comments : splink