Javascript is required to use this website.

Before the killing frost

Nov 3, 2025
Nov 3, 2025

Facebook
Twitter
Bluesky
WhatsApp
SMS
Email
Print
Save

We gardeners hastily pick our remaining produce, watch the weather reports and wonder how many more days we can eke out until the killing frost.

kAm$@>6 A6@A=6 2C6 862C65 FA 7@C 72==[ C625J E@ 6?;@J E96 4@@=6C H62E96C[ 9F?E:?8 2?5 3C62<:?8 @FE E96 rC@4<\!@E 7@C D@FAD 2?5 DE6HD[ H9:=6 @E96CD =@2E96 :E]k^Am

kAm$@>6 C6;@:46 :? E96 H:?E6C >@?E9D[ 2D :E’D 2 492?46 E@ 32<6 72G@C:E6 9@=:52J EC62ED @C 36 @FED:56 :46 7:D9:?8[ D?@H>@3:=:?8 @C D<::?8] ~E96CD 56DA:D6 H:?E6C 2?5 D66< 2 H2C>6C 4=:>2E6[ H96E96C 2E E96 36249 @C 8@=7 4@FCD6 @C F?56C A:=6D @7 3=2?<6ED]k^Am

kAmp A6CD@?’D =:76DA2? :D =:<6 E96 D62D@?D[ 2?5 ?@ >2EE6C H92E D62D@? H6 2C6 =:G:?8 :?[ H6 >FDE G2=F6 6249 52J]k^Am

kAm|J 9FD32?5[ s2G6[ DA6?E >F49 @7 9:D =:76’D DAC:?8 2?5 62C=J DF>>6C D62D@?D @? 9:D 8C2?5A2C6?ED’ G686E23=6 72C> :? p?5@G6C[ |:??6D@E2] %96J 8C6H C65 A@E2E@6D[ H9:E6 A@E2E@6D[ CFDD6ED[ DE6H 42CC@ED[ A2CD?:AD[ EFC?:AD 2?5 C25:D96D]k^Am

kAmw:D 8C2?5A2C6?ED 2==@H65 E96:C 8C2?549:=5C6? E@ DE2CE H@C<:?8 2E 286 `a 3J 3F?5=:?8 C25:D96D 2E E96 72C>’D “C25:D9 A=2?E]”k^Am

kAm%96C6 H6C6 d_ C25:D9 3F?496D E@ 2 3FD96=[ 2?5 A2J 2E E92E E:>6 H2D fd 46?ED A6C 3FD96=] p44@C5:?8 E@ >J 3C@E96C\:?\=2H[ $E6G6[ :? E96 52J[ E92E H2D 8@@5 >@?6J]k^Am

kAm%CF4<D H@F=5 56=:G6C E96 AC@5F4E E@ E96 5:DEC:3FE:@? 46?E6C :? w@A<:?D[ |:??6D@E2[ 2?5 E96:C 8C2?5A2 D@=5 9:D “$H66E 2?5 r=62?” 3C2?5 C25:D96D E@ E96 #65 ~H= 8C@46CJ DE@C6 492:?]k^Am

kAm(96? x C646?E=J 2D<65 $E6G6 23@FE =6DD@?D E96J =62C?65 H@C<:?8 @? E96 72C>[ 96 D2:5 D@>6E9:?8 AC6EEJ AC@7@F?5i “%96 72C> H2D E@@ D>2== E@ =:6]” w6 25565 E96J =62C?65 E96 :>A@CE2?46 @7 2 DEC@?8 H@C< 6E9:4[ 2?5 E92E :E H2D 2 492C24E6C\3F:=5:?8 @AA@CEF?:EJ]k^Am

kAmw2C5 H@C< 2?5 D2G:?8 >@?6J >62?E E92E E96J 4@F=5 3FJ E96:C @H? >:?:3:<6D WE96J H6C6 D6A2C2E65 3J @?=J `d >@?E9D[ H:E9 s2G6 36:?8 @=56CX] xE H2D 2 DA64:2= @AA@CEF?:EJ E@ DA6?5 E:>6 H:E9 E96:C 8C2?5A2C6?ED]k^Am

kAms2G6 =@G65 72==] w:D 6I4:E6>6?E 7@C E96 2FEF>? 49:==[ 3:C5 2?5 3:8 82>6 9F?E:?8 H2D 6G:56?E] w:D 2?E:4:A2E:@? 7@C E96 D62D@? 96=A65 >6 ECF586 E9C@F89 :E]k^Am

kAm(6 E9@F89E H6 5@5865 2 3F==6E] x E@@< s2G6 E@ E96 t# @? 2 367@C6\52H? uC:52J >@C?:?8 :? }@G6>36C 3642FD6 96 H2D 92G:?8 D6G6C6 235@>:?2= A2:?]k^Am

kAm%96 7@==@H:?8 (65?6D52J[ E96J 7:?2==J C6=62D65 9:> H:E9@FE 2 567:?:E6 5:28?@D:D 3FE D2:5 96 H2D H6== 6?@F89 E@ 8@ 9@>6[ 2?5 >@C6 E6DED H6C6 E@ 36 D6E 7@C E96 7@==@H:?8 H66<]k^Am

People are also reading…

Longtime dairy farmer leads state dairy organizations
Illinois brothers carry on dairy tradition
Better days for beets
Screwworm spreads into 4 more counties
Iowa dairy farm engages visitors while expanding operations
Interseeding outcompetes weeds, has host of other benefits
Simple changes make the difference in cooling off cattle
Geopolitical issues influencing soybean market
How Mitchell-based Trail King powers heavy haul across North America
Competition and camaraderie
Happy Rock 4-H’er delivers buckets of smiles in Jefferson County
Revamped program offers one-year contract for cover crops
Biofuel expectations, crude oil continue driving oilseeds
Oliver love leads to book
Flat out wrong

kAm{6DD E92? `g 9@FCD 27E6C 4@>:?8 9@>6[ x H2D ;@=E65 2H2<6 3J E96 D@F?5 @7 2 9F86 4C2D9] x? E92E :?DE2?E[ x ;FDE <?6H E92E =:76 H2D ?6G6C E@ 36 E96 D2>6 282:?]k^Am

kAm%@ E9:D 52J[ x 5@?’E <?@H H92E 92AA6?65 @? E96 C6DA@?D6 D:56] (6 =:G6 :? 2 D@>6H92E CFC2= 2C62[ J6E :E D66>65 E@ E2<6 2? 6IEC2@C5:?2CJ 2>@F?E @7 E:>6 7@C 96=A E@ 2CC:G6] (96? E96J 5:5[ :? 2 >2EE6C @7 >:?FE6D E9C66 F?:ED 2CC:G65 — E96 $96A96C5 G@=F?E66C 2>3F=2?46[ E96 q:==:?8D 2>3F=2?46 2?5 E96 {:76 u=:89E 96=:4@AE6C] x 76=E D@ C6=:6G65 2?5 925 9@A6 E92E E9:?8D H6C6 8@:?8 E@ 36 ~z]k^Am

kAmx C6>6>36C E9:?<:?8 E92E H96? 96 C64@G6C65[ x H2D 8@:?8 E@ E6== s2G6 H92E 2 D42C6 96 82G6 FD] s6?:2= :D 2 A@E6?E 286?E]k^Am

kAmqFE E96 <:==:?8 7C@DE 42>6 564256D E@@ D@@?] pD 72C 324< 2D x 42? C6>6>36C[ x’G6 ?6G6C =:<65 E96 >@?E9 @7 }@G6>36C[ 2?5 x’G6 ?6G6C =:<65 96=:4@AE6CD] }@H x <?@H H9J]k^Am

kAm(96? x FD65 E@ E9:?< @7 E96 H@C5 “H:5@H[” 5:776C6?E :>286D 2AA62C65 :? >J >:?5] $9@CE H9:E6 92:C 4FC=65 E:89E 282:?DE E96 9625] x==\7:EE:?8 ?J=@?D E92E 328 2C@F?5 E96 2?<=6D] $6?D:3=6 3=24< D9@6D] %96 E:4<:?8 @7 2 5FDEJ 8C2?572E96C 4=@4<[ DE2?5:?8 2D 2 D6?ECJ :? 2 =@?6=J 92==H2J[ 8F2C5:?8 282:?DE D@>6 @3D4FC6 E9C62E] $>2== 9@FD6D 7:==65 H:E9 52E65 7FC?:EFC6 2?5 :? ?665 @7 2 8@@5 2:C:?8 @FE]k^Am

kAm}@?6 @7 E9@D6 :>286D >2E4965 >6]k^Am

kAmx? E96 H66<D 2?5 >@?E9D 27E6CH2C5D[ D>2== 24ED @7 <:?5?6DD H6C6 7:?86C=:?8D @7 =:89E @? @E96CH:D6 E96 3=24<6DE 52JD x’G6 6G6C =:G65]k^Am

kAmp H@C< 4@==628F6 x 5:5?’E <?@H G6CJ H6== <?:EE65 >6 2 A2:C @7 >:EE6?D] p 7C:6?5 :?G:E65 >6 E@ 96C 9@FD6 7@C 2 H@C<52J =F?49] xE H2D E96 7:CDE 9@>6\4@@<65 >62= AC6A2C65 3J D@>6@?6 6=D6 :? H66<D]k^Am

kAmp H@C< 4@==628F6 H9@ EFC?65 :?E@ >J >@DE ECFDE65 2?5 36DE 7C:6?5 @A6?65 >J 6J6D E@ E96 D:>A=6 ;@J @7 DE@AA:?8 2E E96 82D DE2E:@? 2?5 92G:?8 2? 6IEC2\=2C86 :46 4C62> 32C 4@G6C65 :? 49@4@=2E6 27E6C E2<:?8 2 A:4<FA =@25 @7 ?@\=@?86C ?66565 :E6>D E@ E96 =2?57:==]k^Am

kAm%9:D D2>6 7C:6?5 92D 2=D@ 8:G6? >6 E96 >@DE AC64:@FD 8:7E @7 D9@H:?8 >6 E92E :E’D ~z E@ =:G6 282:?] x?5665[ :E :D E96 36DE H2J H6 42? 9@?@C E9@D6 H6’G6 =@DE]k^Am

kAms2G6 H2D C@3365 @7 E96 C6>2:?56C @7 9:D 2FEF>? 2?5 H:?E6C D62D@?D] x 36=:6G6 :? E96 27E6C=:76[ 2?5 D:?46 9:D A2DD:?8[ x’G6 6IA6C:6?465 E9:?8D E92E =@8:4 42?’E 6IA=2:?] x E2<6 E96> 2D 4@>7@CE:?8 D:8?D 7C@> E96 27E6C=:76]k^Am

kAm%9@D6 D:8?D 2== DA:C2= 2C@F?5 2 4@>>@?2=:EJ — G2=F6 E96 52J]k^Am

k9C ^m

kAms2C=2 %J=6C\|4$96CCJ :D E96 7@F?56C 2?5 G:D:@?2CJ @7 pD< x? t2C?6DE] $96 42? 36 C624965 2EU?3DAjk2 9C67lQ>2:=E@i2D<:?62C?6DEo9@E>2:=]4@>Qm2D<:?62C?6DEo9@E>2:=]4@>k^2m] u@C >@C6 :?7@C>2E:@?[ 8@ E@U?3DAjHHH]k^Am

kAmk2 9C67lQ9EEAi^^2D<:?62C?6DE]@C8Qm2D<:?62C?6DE]@C8k^2m]k^Am

Catch the latest in Opinion

Get opinion pieces, letters and editorials sent directly to your inbox weekly!

* I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.

Related to this story

Most Popular

Find the equipment you're looking for

Tractors
Combines
Harvesters
Planting
Misc Equipment
Hay Equipment
Trailers
Trucks
Livestock
Seed
Feed/Hay

Take advantage of these
exclusive benefits:

Before the killing frost

Marketplace

Topics

Breaking News

Take advantage of these exclusive benefits: