Pick your tender crops before the temperature drops to 28°F. You can ripen green tomatoes indoors, and you’ll lift tender bulbs after the first frost blackens their leaves. Plant garlic and spring bulbs before the soil freezes. Water your trees and shrubs deeply, then mulch once nights freeze the ground, because moist soil holds heat better. Wrap exposed shrubs in burlap and drain your hoses. Keep going, and you’ll find simple steps for each job.
Key Takeaways
- Harvest tender crops like tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, and basil before a hard freeze of 28°F or colder, then ripen green tomatoes indoors.
- Dig up your best pepper plants and herbs, trim them by one-third, check for pests, and pot them for a bright indoor window.
- Lift dahlias, cannas, gladiolus, and caladiums after the first hard frost, dry them, and store in a dark, frost-free spot at 40–50°F.
- Plant garlic four to six weeks before the first hard freeze and spring bulbs before the soil freezes, then mulch with straw.
- Water plants deeply, mulch once the ground begins freezing, shield shrubs from wind with burlap, and drain hoses and irrigation lines.
Harvest Tender Crops and Save Green Tomatoes
Don’t let a surprise frost steal your summer crops. Tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, beans, eggplant, summer squash, melons, and basil die when temperatures drop below freezing, so you’ll want to harvest them early.
A hard freeze means temperatures of 28°F or colder. If the first frost is in the forecast, pick mature and nearly mature fruits, and remove the plants so nothing turns mushy.
Don’t leave your green tomatoes out there to rot. Pick them once frost makes outdoor ripening unlikely, because small, immature fruits won’t grow larger after harvest. Ripen them indoors on a bright, sunny windowsill. You can also put them in a paper bag with a ripe banana to speed ripening. Use clean cutting tools to avoid damaging the plant, and look for firm, brightly colored fruit with a slight give when squeezed to know which tomatoes are at peak ripeness. Turn any extras into green salsa, chutney, or fried green tomatoes.
Bring Peppers and Herbs Indoors for Winter
When frost is on the way, you don’t have to say goodbye to your favorite peppers and herbs.
Don’t let the first frost end your garden’s story; peppers and herbs can happily keep growing right through winter indoors.
About 30 days before your first hard freeze, prune your pepper plants to remove branches without fruit. Then dig up your best plants, along with rosemary, sage, mint, oregano, and thyme, taking as much of the root ball as you can.
Trim the top growth back by about one-third, and pot each plant in well-draining soil.
Take herb cuttings first, so you’ll have backups if a plant struggles.
Check every plant for aphids, spider mites, whiteflies, scale, and mealybugs, and treat them before you put the garden favorites inside.
Natural options like neem oil are eco-friendly and effective against a variety of common pests, so they work well for treating plants before they come indoors.
Set peppers in a bright window at 55–65°F, and keep the soil lightly moist but not soggy.
Dig Up Tender Bulbs After the First Frost
Once the first hard frost blackens the leaves and the tops die back, it’s time to lift your tender bulbs from the ground.
Dahlias, cannas, gladiolus, and caladiums won’t survive a freeze, so don’t wait too long.
Lift tender bulbs by digging outside the stems. Use a fork or shovel, and work gently so you don’t slice the storage parts you’re trying to save.
Brush off loose soil instead of washing the bulbs. Let them dry in a warm, airy spot for several days, until the dirt crust flakes away.
Then trim the foliage to about 1–2 inches. Store them in breathable boxes or mesh at 40–50°F, in a dark, frost-free place.
If you want to keep a few plants growing through the cold months, a cold frame built from old windows and wood can trap heat and protect tender seedlings from frost.
Check them monthly, and toss any that look soft, moldy, or shriveled.
Plant Garlic and Spring Bulbs This Fall
Fall is the perfect time to plant garlic and spring bulbs, and your garden will thank you next year.
Plant garlic and spring bulbs this fall, and next year your garden will reward you with healthy, vibrant growth.
Start planting garlic after the soil cools, but before the ground freezes. Aim for four to six weeks before the first hard freeze, so roots can settle in without much top growth.
Choose firm, healthy cloves. Big cloves grow bigger bulbs, so you’ll want to skip any small or soft ones. Set each clove pointy end up, about 2 inches deep.
Space cloves four to six inches apart in rows twelve to eighteen inches apart, which gives each bulb room to grow.
Plant spring bulbs before the soil freezes, about three times as deep as each is wide. Daffodils, for example, do best in well-draining soil with at least six hours of sun, since low spots where water pools can cause bulb rot. Then mulch with 2–4 inches of straw.
Water, Then Mulch Beds After the Ground Cools
Your bulbs and garlic are tucked in, so now let’s look after the rest of your beds. Start with water. Give your trees, shrubs, and perennials one deep drink before the soil freezes, because moist soil holds heat better than dry soil and protects roots. Pushing a finger two inches into the soil will tell you whether it is waterlogged, moist, or dry before you water. Then wait to mulch. Mulch applied too early insulates warm soil and can spark new growth, so wait until nights start freezing the ground.
| Task | Details |
|---|---|
| Mulch depth | 3–4 inches in most beds |
| Freeze–thaw areas | 8–12 inches around vulnerable plants |
Spread an even layer of shredded leaves, straw, or compost over your beds, and it’ll reduce frost heave and hold moisture. Keep mulch a few inches away from trunks and crowns, since that prevents rot and discourages hungry rodents.
Shield Shrubs and Perennials From Winter Wind
With your mulch in place, it’s time to block the cold, drying wind. Simple wind protection helps shrubs and perennials hold their moisture through winter.
Start by driving stakes into the ground around each vulnerable plant, and fasten burlap to them. Burlap breathes, so air and moisture can pass through.
Place the screen on the exposed side, usually where the winter wind blows from. Leave the other sides open for airflow.
Keep a few inches between the fabric and the foliage, or build a simple frame, so the cover won’t press on stems and buds. Skip plastic, because it traps moisture and can invite fungal disease.
Evergreens such as Japanese holly are deer resistant and dense enough to act as a natural windbreak, so they can shelter more tender plants behind them.
A little effort now will protect your garden until spring. Remove the wrappings once nights stay above freezing.
Drain Hoses and Store Tools for Winter
Before the ground freezes, give your hoses a little attention so they last another season. Disconnect each hose from its outdoor faucet. Lift one end to push the water out, and coil the hose loosely. Water left inside can freeze and crack the hose, so make sure it’s completely empty. Store it in a shed, garage, or basement where frost can’t reach.
Next, shut off and drain any aboveground irrigation lines. Remove your watering wands and nozzles, and open the outdoor spigots so leftover water escapes. Empty and tip over your rain barrels and watering cans too. If you have underground sprinklers, blow out the lines or hire a professional. Draining the system fully also protects irrigation valves and fittings from cracking when temperatures drop below freezing.
Finally, sharpen blades, wipe tools dry, and oil them lightly before storing them indoors.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Is the 70/30 Rule in Gardening?
The 70/30 rule means your plants need 30% of the growing season left to root. Stop major planting when about 70% of growth is finished. You’ll give roots time to establish before dormancy, and you’ll avoid stressing them with the first hard freeze.
Plant perennials about 30–60 days before your first frost. Wait to mulch until the soil’s cold and nights stay cool, so your crowns don’t stay too warm.
What to Cover Plants With During a Freeze Outdoor?
Cover your plants with frost cloth, old sheets, or blankets before sunset.
Frost cloth traps heat from the soil, and it protects plants down to about 28°F.
Hold the fabric up with stakes, hoops, or buckets.
Wet fabric on leaves conducts cold, so you don’t want it touching the foliage directly.
Secure the edges with soil or weights, so wind can’t lift your cover and let cold air sneak in.
What Should I Put on My Garden Before Winter?
Mulch your beds, because even a Viking would’ve set a phone reminder for it.
Spread a 3–4 inch layer of shredded leaves, straw, or compost after the soil cools. This layer insulates roots, holds moisture, and stops frost heave. Leave stems poking through, and pull the mulch back gently in spring.
Cover plants with frost cloth or burlap, and water dry soil the day before a freeze, keeping roots warm.
Should I Water My Outside Plants Before a Freeze?
Yes, you should water your plants the day before a freeze. Moist soil holds and releases more heat than dry soil, so your roots stay safer from frost damage.
Give trees, shrubs, and evergreens a slow, deep soak instead of quick, shallow sprinkles. Water in midafternoon or early evening, so moisture soaks in before sunset.
Skip watering if the soil’s already saturated or frozen, because extra water can harm roots.
