It’s been an unusually hot summer., but autumn weather is drawing near. If you want to protect your garden plants and extend the harvest season, it’s time to prepare.

Hopefully, it won’t be too late by the time you read this. The Old Farmers’ Almanac says there’s a 50 percent chance of first frost on Sept. 11 in Lake Placid, Sept. 14 in Saranac Lake, Sept. 28 in Plattsburgh and Oct. 1 in Malone. And, although no one can accurately predict when the first fall frost will actually occur, one thing is absolutely certain – we’re well into September. Sooner or later, frost will arrive.

Vegetable gardeners near me have been reaping bountifully from their gardens for several weeks now. But much of what North Country gardeners grow is not naturally adapted to our climate. Take tomatoes, for example. We love the flavor of fresh garden tomatoes and grow them in abundance, even though they’re native to tropical climates. Other warm weather vegetables include peppers, summer squash, cucumbers, eggplant, melons, beans, and corn. An early or unanticipated frost can be extremely frustrating to a gardener who has put a lot of effort into growing these vegetables. And, as if to add insult to (literal) injury, our first late-season frost is often followed by a prolonged period of frost-free, often beautiful weather.

When assisted with getting through the frost unharmed, garden plants will often continue to provide attentive gardeners with nourishing food (and attractive flowers) well into Indian summer. And even if the weather isn’t perfect for continued growing of summer crops, it will almost always be warm enough to ripen green tomatoes or grow a few more zucchini squash. Who can’t appreciate the value of two or three additional weeks of harvesting vine-ripened tomatoes, delicious squash, tasty green peppers, crisp beans, flavorful cucumbers and fresh basil?

That’s why seasoned North Country gardeners have learned to take the bull, or should I say the weather, by the horns. There are several things that can be done to protect garden plants from frost. Placing containers, such as cardboard boxes or plastic pails, over individual plants is uncomplicated and works very well. Or a simple tent or teepee can be built around them. In a pinch, a protective cover can be placed directly onto the plants. Keep in mind, however, that although anything draped over your plants will offer some protection, better insulators will provide greater protection. An old blanket, for example, will offer much better insulating value than a bed sheet or a tarp. And covering your garden during the afternoon will maximize the amount of heat you store. Waiting until near or after dark will allow a considerable amount of heat to be lost. To avoid overheating, coverings should be removed the following morning, as soon as the frost has thawed.

Frameworks or support structures designed to bear a temporary cover of cardboard, plastic, bed sheets, blankets and the like can be assembled around rows or large groupings of plants or incorporated into the design of a raised bed. They can be built using stakes, poles, lumber, pvc, wire, clothesline; you name it. Prepared gardeners will have these scaffolds in place long before frost is predicted.

Some gardeners paint milk jugs or large soda bottles black, then fill them with water and set them in the garden. The water in the containers is warmed during the day as the black plastic absorbs heat from the sun. Since water loses heat more slowly than air or soil, these “radiators,” especially when under a protective covering, can provide additional latent heat.

Potted plants are particularly vulnerable to frost because their roots are not protected. They can either be placed in the ground and then covered or wrapped – container and all – in a protective covering. Even better, container-grown plants and gardens can be taken indoors.

A little frost is not necessarily a bad thing. Beets, broccoli, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, carrots, kale, spinach and turnips can all be harvested, even after several frosts. In fact, many of these vegetables actually become more flavorful when exposed to light frost.

As soon as a crop is harvested or after a hard freeze, you should pull up and compost all disease-free plant material. A thorough cleanup of garden refuse will help eliminate over-wintering garden pests. Keep in mind that many disease organisms survive the winter on garden debris, so dispose of or destroy any vegetation that may have been diseased during the season. Good sanitation now will result in fewer problems next season.