The Frost is Coming: Saran Wrap, Dark Trash Bags, and Pots to Prevent Frost Damage

The frost will hit Maryland tonight if you are  in the right areas. We even have some snow coming. The ground is very warm and our friend at this point. It is worth battling the first few frosts because you might be able to extend the season for several more weeks. Once the frost is in the picture for 3 or 4 consecutive days, it's time to give up the garden.

You can fully wrap a tomato cage in Saran Wrap and create a green house. This is good for taller plants like my peas. Tuck the plants inside the cage and wrap. You want to do this in the morning so the sun has time to heat up the space.

You can put your containers in black trash bags and seal the top, just like you are throwing them away. Again, do this in the morning and let heat collect.

If you have lettuce or other grown crops in beds, a black plastic pot can be set on top of  them like a dome. You can even use your empty 5 gallon buckets for bigger plants.

These methods will by you some degrees in cold and frost protection. And they work. Remember a lot of cold weather crops can take a light frost. Protecting them today could buy you a few more weeks of greens and  vegetables.

Finding the Supplies and Tools for Next Year's Garden

One of the things I like about Zone 7 gardening in Maryland is that you get all four seasons. Each season brings on its on challenge for the gardener and requires specialized tools and preparation. We don't often think of gardening beyond a shovel, dirt and some seeds but we do need and use (and deserve!) the right kind of tools and equipment. I think one of the best ways to find equipment and supplies for all our gardening and landscaping needs is on-line. I particularly found the site Canada Post helpful. It provides you with pricing comparisons for all the things you could possibly need to manage your garden and grounds. This is what I do during the Winter to pass the time. I call it research.

I like this site because it provides information with equipment pictures, prices, details and locations of the products as found all over the United States in our local do-it-yourself and garden shops. Knowledge is the key to a great garden and great savings gives us more seed money. Using this site lets you find what you need and it lets you compare prices. You can view 100's if not 1000's of items comparatively by most popular, lowest price or by best deal. It really is a great site for information.

With Winter coming and judging by the 38 degree night, soon snow will begin to fall. There isn't much to do in the garden during the Winter but there is a lot of time to begin planning next year's garden. This site will let you compare every supply or piece of equipment you will need for the garden and once that is done, you can even price shop clothing, electronics and just about everything imaginable. I've been browsing through gardening tools, power washers, chemical sprayers and chemicals and with snow just around the corner snowblowers. I would much rather turn the earth and open up more garden beds then shovel away two feet of snow. The Farmer's Almanac is calling for a big Winter around my area!

My Fall Lettuce Container Garden: A Cut Greens Garden

Again, think lettuces, radishes, onions, kale, peas and cool weather vegetables in Maryland as two season vegetables. You can extend you gardening beyond August. You get cool weather Spring and cool weather Fall, as seasons, for planting this grouping of vegetables and greens.

Here are some pictures of my containers that are filled with arugula, lettuces, kales, a few peas, onions and probably some things I have forgotten. 

This picture if from September. I cleared out the old tomatoes and spent vegetables. I transplanted my greens and even peas to the containers somewhere in the middle of September.

Starting A Fall Greens Garden: Gary Pilarchik

I took this picture on October 22nd. We haven't had frost yet and the container greens are ready to be harvested, leaf by leaf, for a pretty fancy and extremely colorful salad. 

4-5 Weeks of Fall Growth for My Mixed Greens Fall Garden: Gary Pilarchik

Some of the containers up close and colorful.

A Fall Lettuce and Greens Container: Gary Pilarchik

The above picture shows Arugula with 'Ruby Red' leaf lettuce to the right. The other red lettuce is a romaine variety. In the back is 'Paris Island' romaine, a green variety.

Below I have onions planted around the greens. The onions came from bulbs and were actually put in there in July. I used them for the tomatoes that grew in the container. When the heat and growth of the tomato came, the onions died back. You can see the cool temperature of the Fall rejuvenated them.

Onions and Lettuce in a Container: Gary Pilarchik

Red Kale and Peas with My Greens Containers: Gary Pilarchik

The containers were mostly used for tomatoes. The 5 gallon gray bucket, which came from a do-it-yourself store for $3, has 'Red Russian' kale planted in it. Kale will often survive the Winter and grow again in the Spring. You can also see peas in the background. I am getting some pods but did you know pea leaves taste great in mixed salads?

Red and Green Romaine in a  Container: Gary Pilarchik

Notice I am not growing my lettuce and greens in containers for 1 large head of lettuce, well spaced out. Over plant them! This is a cut greens garden. There is plenty of soil in the container for the roots to grow down. Less root competition means lots of leaves. If you were to toss in some liquid fertilizer they would go wild. The greens in my containers are harvested one leaf at a time. They will keep growing until a hard frost comes.

Red Romaine Lettuce in the Fall: Outstanding Color!

Red, for a lettuce has been both myth and fact as a color the seems to deter snails and slugs. I can attest to the truth that my red lettuces tend to be left alone by slugs and snails... when there is other stuff to eat in the garden.

If you have nothing tender for them to eat, they will go to the red lettuces. But in the Fall you tend to have to worry less about those pests. Red lettuce, in this case, a Red Romaine looks beautiful in the Fall. No special variety, just Red Romaine. The cooler weather lets the reds become redder. I want to encourage everyone to think about Fall greens or in this case reds, in your Zone 7 garden. 

Red Romaine in the Fall: Gary Pilarchik

Tabasco Peppers Make for Great Fall Color and Bottling

The Tabasco pepper looks great in October. We used to have an annual chili contest in our neighborhood and I would always lend branches of the Tabasco pepper for table decorations.

I will be making hot-sauce with these in the future.  The blog will follow.

Tabasco Peppers in October: Gary Pilarchik