So, just when is our first hard freeze?

It seems that all the info I see about fall perennial planting is X number of weeks before first hard freeze. It's my first year in the dirt at this house so I didn't pay attention last year. I found a chart that said there is a 50 percent probability of frost by October 15 and freeze by October 27, 90 percent by 11/1 and 11/12, in Waukegan. That's the closest city to us in the chart, but that's probably at the little airport which is a lot closer to the lake. We're just south of Gurnee. What are your experiences?

This message was edited Sep 1, 2009 1:00 PM

I'm close to you geographically and use the October 15 target. I like "safe" though so that's why I use that date. That said, I don't hesitate to plant perennials early September. Gives them time to get down some roots before the frost. I play the second half of the month by ear since some years are warmer during late September than others. In a cool year, might be better to wait until spring to put more tender perennials in the ground. October is shrubs and trees only for me.

Great question! It will be interesting to see how far others push the envelope (instead of using "safe" dates) and what their results are. Will be watching thread to read and learn!

~Sharon

There will no doubt be a hard freeze later this month for me. I always try to protect a few of my beauties from the first few freezes because the weather always seems to improve for at least another week afterwards.

I always seem to have more to plant than time to plant. If the ground isn't frozen.....I keep planting. Of course there will be a few fatalities, and you need to keep an eye out for heaving....but if you've got 'em.....they need to get into the ground. And.....since I'm a sucker for those clearance plants................

(I also cover my beds heavily with dry leaves once the ground is frozen.)

My rule of thumb has always been 8 weeks before first frost, which, here, could be about mid-October. I'm probably too cautious, though. 6 weeks might be OK and even 4 or 5 weeks with lots of mulch (silver maple leaves for me!).

The only problem with lots of mulch is to remember to get some of it off in January. I mistakenly left about 6" of maple leaves on a narrow hosta border and the silly things started coming up in late Feb, early March! Lord, were they blanched when I uncovered them. They looked sort of cold and mad at me, too!

I got an order from BP on Friday (and got most of it in the ground today, yay!) but was interested to read in the packet that they sent with the order that most perennials that are truly hardy to our zone will be fine with as a little as a week in the ground before a frost/freeze. Don't know as I'd want to risk it though.

Yeah, a week sounds a little iffy. If you're cutting it that close, you may not get that week you want before everything turns to ice cubes.

Last year we had that early hard freeze that never thawed, right after I had planted a new apricot tree. It looked dead. It showed no signs of life as spring approached, so I ordered a replacement. But by the time it arrived, the fall-planted tree was showing some bud swelling. Now I have two year-old apricot trees, exactly the same size.

Wow - it either had to sleep extra long to get over the shock or apricots just leaf out late!

Usually apricots leaf out too early and get frozen out.

Accuweather is warning of freeze here next weekend - October 9&10

I believe it--and who ordered this wind? It almost blew the eggplant right out of their tub. *sigh* already can't wait til spring...

It looks like ours is going to be tonight. 29 is being predicted. The dilema......to cover or not to cover.......and just let it go.

Here, they're now saying next Wednesday.

Thinking I'll start pulling up the vegetable garden and give up on the remaining unripe melons.

For frost or freeze? I've got bulbs to get in. Ack.

edit: Just checked, must be for frost; NOAA says low next Tuesday night of 45. Although, do we really trust any weather forecast that far ahead?

This message was edited Sep 30, 2009 7:19 PM

So how much longer do I risk leaving my tomatoes on the vine?

I'm going try to cover mine for at least a couple of frosts because there are so many greenies. They're in tubs so I can pull them up close to the house. Hopefully some of them will at least get pink before I have to yank them off. Now if it would only stop raining for a day or so. Blech.

I got one more Charentais melon out of the patch Wednesday, and it was one of the best of the year, albeit not too large. I'll be leaving the melon vines be until a really freeze. otoh, I pulled the zucchini because I'm sick of zucchini.

I didn't plant zucchini. I still remember the über zucchinis we grew at Mom's house. Zucchini bread, steamed zucchini, fried zucchini, on and on and on :P

I bet the melon tasted better because it was well chilled...

I planted my Roma tomatoes late, as I always do, because I don't like canning in hot weather. Which we didn't have any this year, so most of them are still green. Best laid plans ...

I would rather have my melons cold from the refrigerator on a hot summer day!

NOAA says low of 28 on Saturday :(

Ummm In 2007 I got crocus bulbs for Christmas. The ground wasn't really frozen so I planted them out the next day. They bloomed beautifully for me..................just thought I'd pass that on.

Also I have moved some echinacea in November and had them come back with robust growth the very following spring.

Oh Oh. Looks like I better get cracking and move all my tropicals inside before the weekend. I have been dreading this. Last year I had two houseplants and I think now I will have to bring in about 50 pots. Then there are about 200 pots of perennials that I have to get ready to overwinter once the foilage dies back. I still have two trees and 9 shrubs to either plant or overwinter as well.

We already got patchy frost down here once. I noticed it on the rose blooms.

I have my 12 brugmansias in the sun room now. Once they finish blooming I'll move them downstairs. My alstromerias are dug and planted, my jasmines, lantana, persian shield, senecios, geraniums, fuschias, hibiscus, and tube begonias are all either clustered under the quaking aspen or up along side of the house on the patio. The mandevillas are in the garage along with a couple epiphyllums. This rain is giving them a good soaking. I'll spray for insects tomorrow morning and then Thurs. drag them all down stairs. Possible frost for thurs. night. Whether it does or not they will be inside.

Once we get a decent frost I have dahlias, elephant ears and canna to dig up dry and store.

Now they say 31, maybe it'll keep creeping up. And the Weather Channel's outlook for the rest of the month shows nothing lower than upper 30's the rest of the month after this weekend :) I'm having physical problems digging right now so I hope they're right! I'm letting the dahlias go, they were new this year/small anyway and cheap too, most of them never bloomed. I need to drag in the potted daisy bush "tree" but it actually seems to be enjoying itself right now.

Ahhhh so does my fuchsia. It seems to like the cool weather, but I know as sure as I know my own name its is a goner if I leave it too long.

Oh but it is so FULL of flower buds its not funny. As far as I'm concerned this time of year just sucks.

Owwww.......dgd is hitting me with a cardboard tube. 4yo just came home from her so called father's house cause Mom is off work now. Riding around on her Papa's shoulder and Nana's the house monster.. Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.

Frost warning tonight here in Chicago burbs, freeze warning tomorrow night.

Everything is still on the patio hope there isn't a frost since I just woke up off the couch and in no shape to drag ANYTHING in at this moment..........

Should not be too bad, it's only 35 here now ("only", listen to me already). Finally dragged my butt out there this afternoon and got the very tenderest in the garage and pulled some stuff up to the house and covered it, it was too cold and wet to do more. Some will have to come in tomorrow, I think the sun may even make an appearance.

I have already had light frost down here. Last week was subtle but showed slight damage on my rose blossoms and a few little specks on my Elephant Ears. On the one clear day without rain, wednesday, I pulled everything inside.

The weathermen keep changing the forecast. One minute it is supposed to get down to 29 tonight, next day it said 32, now it says 30.

Got the Roma tomatoes all full of green fruits, want to keep them growing as long as possible. They still seem to be alive now, but tonight is another matter.

It's been below freezing for almost 12 hours........and I woke up to SNOW! Our high today is going to be in the 30's. This is just wrong!

Cherry Berry still has blossoms!

Even Buddy was not thrilled. He's not as young and frisky as he used to be.....and came right back in the house.

Oh Marie!!!!! Yuck yuck yuck. I am in no hurry for cold or the "s" word. We've been staying in the 40's at night and 50's low 60's during the day. No frost that I can see here yet. Course forecast for tonight is low 40's near the lake and high 30's inland for tonight and the "s" word Sunday night. Shouldn't stick with the ground not frozen but I don't even want to think of that.

I had everything dragged up to the house on Tuesday already and a mandevilla put in the garage. I really have to get out and plant some hosta and some heuchera I bought on Thursday and start moving all tropicals in the sun room at least. Oh I have 12 brugmansias in various sizes in there now. We're not heating the sun room this year though so everything will get moved downstairs under lights.

The brugs are all in bloom right now and my sun room is so fragrant at night and early morning. As long as they are blooming or as long as it stays above 40 out the there they can stay there. I will put everything in there until it starts with falling temps. that way I can slowly start to move things down there and get everything situated. I hope.

No need to wait til tonite, last nite did it.

Out in the mud all morning pulling up dead vines. 68 tons of green Romas. It was really hurtful to throw out all those immature Charentais melons, even tho I knew they'd never get ripe.

At least I got two last Honeydews.

Aww, I'm sorry Lois. :( I'm close enough to the lake that my tomatoes seem ok today. I think I'm going to try covering them with a sheet tonight, or should I just pick them all and hope they ripen inside?

I've still got one cherry tomato plant on the dock, and was hoping that being just a foot above the lake would keep it safe. Nope......it's done for. Those Sun Gold Cherry tomatoes were the best.

I think the fruits will survive a frost that kills the vines. Within a narrow limit.

I've have my potted maters and mini pepper up against the house with covers a couple of days I didn't think it would help much but some maters broke color and 2 peppers turned yellow so I'm leaving them for now. The peppers I got are actually more like nano-peppers, but they're cute anyway.

Lessee, now they say a low of 26 or 29, depending on who you listen to. Funny how that sounds soooo cold now.

It should be too warm here when we get rain again for the dreaded "S" :P But no doubt winter is here, a cat was just warming her backside on the heating vent.