Frost Harvest Desk: what to pick before first frost

Tender crops die at 32F. Many greens and cabbage-family crops take a light frost down to about 28F. Kale, collards, carrots, parsnips, leeks, and spinach handle hard frost and taste sweeter after it.

See days until typical first frost for your zone and which crops to pick before 32F, which take a light frost to 28F, and which taste sweeter after frost.

Pick before the first 32F night

Frost kills leaves and ruins fruit. Pick everything usable before the first night forecast at 32F or below.

  • Tomatoes
  • Peppers
  • Eggplant
  • Basil
  • Cucumbers
  • Summer and winter squash
  • Pumpkins
  • Beans
  • Sweet corn
  • Okra
  • Watermelon and cantaloupe
  • Sweet potatoes

Takes a light frost (28 to 32F)

These ride out a light frost, with a cover for extra margin. Harvest or cover before a hard freeze below 28F.

  • Lettuce
  • Swiss chard
  • Beets
  • Peas
  • Cabbage
  • Broccoli
  • Cauliflower
  • Kohlrabi
  • Celery
  • Bok choy
  • Arugula
  • Radishes
  • Cilantro

Leave in: frost sweetens or holds

Cold turns starch to sugar, so flavor improves after frost. Keep harvesting through hard freezes and mulch roots before the ground freezes.

  • Kale
  • Collards
  • Brussels sprouts
  • Spinach
  • Leeks
  • Carrots
  • Parsnips
  • Turnips
  • Parsley

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