When frost is in the forecast, here’s what to do so your plants—and your sanity—survive the chill.
How to Protect Your Garden When Frost Is in the Forecast
Know your frost and your freeze
Clear, calm nights may seem peaceful, but when there’s no wind or cloud cover, temperatures can drop fast.
- Frost: Happens at 32°F or below. A light frost can damage tender plants.
- Hard freeze: Around 28°F and colder—it usually ends the growing season.
If you’re not sure which you’re facing, check your local forecast or a frost map online—knowing which one’s coming helps you plan fast.
Know which plants need protection
Perennials will be fine—they’re built for winter. Delicate ones like roses may need a little extra love.
Annuals? These are the plants that only last one growing season. Bring them inside or toss a sheet over them for a light frost. A simple bedsheet from the closet will do the trick for light frost protection. I keep a stash of old sheets for just this purpose. Or if you want to get fancy and provide a bit more protection, check out the many available insulated row covers and cold frames.
Uncover the plants when temps rise again and let them breathe. You might not be barefoot in shorts, but you can often get a few more weeks of pretty blooms with a bit of protection.
Which vegetables survive frost—and which won’t
Vegetables fall into two camps: cool season and warm season.
Cool-season crops like kale, lettuce and root vegetables can handle a light frost. Warm-season favorites like tomatoes, peppers, and basil should be harvested before the frost hits.
Basil is especially sensitive—harvest it when temps drop into the 40s. Kale, on the other hand, gets sweeter with a touch of frost and can even bounce back in early spring.
Looking to grow your vegetable gardening knowledge? Check out my in-depth post for practical tips and a free, downloadable grow guide.
Water before frost hits
Believe it or not, watering your plants that are staying in the garden, before a frost is expected can actually help protect them. This trick—used by nurseries when frost threatens—works because water acts as an insulator. Plant cells that are well-hydrated will be stronger against cold damage. Moist soil also stays warmer longer than dry soil. Make no mistake—a deep frost or hard freeze will win—but this handy tip can help when temps hover around 32°F.
Harvest smart before the frost
When frost threatens, I go into full harvest frenzy—grabbing every ripe and almost-ripe tomato, pepper and other tender veggie I can find. And yes, more than once I’ve been out there in the dark with my trusty headlamp lighting my way as the cold sets in.
Green tomatoes will likely ripen on your windowsill or make delicious fried-green tomatoes. Tomatoes showing just a blush of color can fully mature inside. Extra peppers can be washed, chopped and frozen.
Herbs can be used now, dried or frozen for later. There’s nothing like homegrown veggies in late winter when the cold winds are howling outside. It sure beats the over-priced, half-moldy or dried up grocery store selections.
👉 Learn how to turn a raised bed into a mini greenhouse—step-by-step!
Don’t forget your hoses
As soon as overnight temps start flirting with freezing, it’s time to disconnect your hoses. Even a brief freeze can trap water in the hose or spigot, leading to cracked fittings or burst pipes.
Drain your hoses thoroughly, roll them up and stash them somewhere dry—a garage or shed works fine. If you use a frost-free spigot, you’ll still want to remove the hose—keeping it attached traps water and prevents the line from draining properly.
If you’re ready to upgrade your setup before next season, now’s a great time. This hose reel cart makes moving and storing the hose a breeze, especially when it’s time to put it away for the season. Mine happily sits in my garden near the spigot all growing season. When it’s time to put it away, I disconnect it from the spigot, stretch my hose all the way out down a slope, still connected to the cart. I leave it to drain completely for an hour or more, then simply reel it back onto the cart and wheel it into my shed until spring.
You can also grab a quick-connect fitting set to make disconnecting hoses faster. Consider a faucet insulation kit to protect outdoor spigots all winter long. I use specialty pliers known as channel locks to tighten my hose onto my spigot and release it in the fall. They work great for extra grip. Don’t forget my favorite gloves to protect your hands while doing this cold-weather work, amazing quality at an awesome price!
Celebrate your success
Time to go enjoy the fruits of your labor and take pride in your accomplishments. Your garden has served you well—or possibly annoyed the heck out of you all season. Either way, the end is near and it’s time to breathe a bit, clean up your tools, sip something warm and dream of seed catalogs and spring!
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