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By mid-September, you can really feel the garden changing its pace. The sun rises later, evenings arrive faster, and the nights get chilly. It's that time of year when you often start the day in a tuque, only to shed layers as the hours go by. Temperatures fluctuate wildly from one moment of the day to the next.
Yet, remember that September is still summer until the equinox! Above all, it’s a truly active gardening period. No, the season isn’t over just yet: plenty of vegetables continue to grow, ripen, and be harvested.
So there’s still time, but the game changes a bit: you're no longer just trying to make the garden grow, but deciding what to harvest immediately, what to let take advantage of the cool temperatures, and what you need to protect.
The first essential step is learning to interpret weather forecasts without giving in to panic. A 5 °C night isn't a frost. Likewise, a light surface frost on the ground is very different from a hard frost that deeply damages plant cells.
General weather forecasts are a good starting point, but don't forget that your garden has its own microclimate. Sheltered from the wind or near the walls of your home, the air stays warmer. Conversely, cold air tends to pool in low spots on your property. Always look at the duration of the announced cold and the temperatures of the following days, rather than a single isolated number for a single night.
A short, light frost can easily be managed with light protection. On the other hand, if a hard frost or several consecutive cold nights are forecast, that's your cue that it's time to harvest tender crops.
Let’s start with cold-sensitive crops that cannot take frost: warm-season fruiting vegetables.
Tomatoes, peppers, and eggplants: If frost is on the horizon, harvest all fruits that have reached a useful size, even if they are not fully ripe. For tomatoes, prioritize those that are starting to change color; they will finish ripening indoors. Green tomatoes that have reached their full size also have a good chance of ripening gradually. Peppers can be harvested green or at their final color. As for eggplants, rely on their firmness and still-glossy skin: a well-developed small eggplant will be much better on your plate than frozen on its plant.
Beans and zucchinis: These plants are highly sensitive. Do a thorough pass to harvest the remaining beans and the last small zucchinis.
Sensitive herbs: Basil is the first to suffer; a tiny frost is enough to blacken its leaves. Harvest it without delay. On the other hand, parsley, chives, and cilantro tolerate the coolness much better and do not need to be treated with the same urgency.
Keep in mind that this big pre-frost harvest depends entirely on your region and the condition of your crops, whether it happens in September or October.
Good news: many vegetables tolerate the first frosts very well, and some even see their flavor improve, thanks to the cold.
Kale and spinach: Kale is the autumn king. Not only does it resist frost very well, but the cold makes its leaves sweeter and milder. You can continue to harvest its outer leaves as needed. Spinach also thrives with the return of cool weather.
Leeks: They can stay in the ground very late into the fall. No need to pull them all up at once; harvest them as you need them for cooking, as long as the ground isn't frozen and remains accessible.
Carrots and beets: These root vegetables tolerate light frosts. The autumn cold concentrates their sugars, which improves their taste. Harvest them before the ground freezes solid.
Cabbages family: Head cabbages, Brussels sprouts, and some broccolis love the cool weather and easily withstand light, passing frosts. Be careful, though: resistance to cold does not apply indefinitely to intense and prolonged freezing temperatures.
If the forecast calls for only one or two slightly cold nights before the return of nice weather, using a floating row cover is ideal. This lightweight fabric lets water and light through while retaining a few precious degrees of warmth near the ground. You can also use blankets or plastic tarps for short periods.
Tips to cover your plants successfully:
Avoid crushing your plants: If your crops are tall or delicate, drape the cover over small hoops to create an insulating air pocket.
Anchor it down: Put the cover on before nightfall and weigh down the edges firmly with stones, boards, or sandbags.
Ventilate during the day: If the sun comes out and temperatures rise the next morning, pull back or remove the cover to prevent heat and moisture from building up underneath.
For leeks and root vegetables, a good layer of mulch on the ground can also prove very useful to keep the soil workable and accessible longer.
As autumn approaches, resist the urge to rip everything out all at once. Take time to check the weather and ask yourself these three simple questions:
Is this a frost-sensitive crop that needs to be harvested urgently before the frost (tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, beans, cucumbers, zucchini, basil)?
Is this a hardy crop that can continue to thrive in the cold (kale, spinach, leeks, carrots, beets, cabbage)?
Is this a crop to protect temporarily with a cover to get through one or two chilly nights?
Your best tool remains your sense of observation.
Happy fall gardening!
Frédéric
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