I thought my four lettuces were goners, too, with last night's 21 degree cold, even though I have been putting them in a cold frame and putting bags of leaves over that overnights. They looked pretty stiff this morning, but not frozen. By this afternoon I had decided to dig them up, cut off the leaves (which are perfectly fine now for salad) and plant the growing stubs in planting soil to put in the sun. Guess the pot could be put in a sunny window, as long as it didn't get too hot. I just love that variety, so we shall see if this extreme intervention works.
Sunny

I didn't have my lettuce covered because I was gone yesterday afternoon and it got dark soooo early. I had intended to cut some before it was ruined. I went out last night in the cold and cut some. I put the lettuce in the fridge and looked at it today. Mostly it is limp and dark and I will throw it out. I did notice that not all varieties were damaged the same. Mine is a mixture - a blend of leaf lettuce. Some of the green leaves were OK. I have kept lettuce through winter before. I didn't eat it and thought it would be bitter because it was left from summer. In the spring it grew and tasted good. I don't know what variety it was.
By the way, I got my Margaret Roach book and my Lee Reich book and several Susan Wittig Albert herbal mysteries from Amazon today. I am not much of a reader but I think I will read a little this evening. My friend's sister reads the Susan Wittig Albert books after I am finished and passes them on to her church friend. I will have to read the mystery first because they wait on me. I got some Miss Julia books from them. For someone who doesn't read much I have a lot of books.

I have read the preface to Margaret's book. I will read hers slowly and few pages a day because it is a more substantial book with ideas to think about.

Oh, that's for sure. I think her gardening ideas are profound, and -- she just has a GREAT personality. Hopefully I can wait until Christmas to give myself that book.

Why don't you, tomorrow, in the sunny day, replant those lettuces for inside? We're going to have, "they" say, a very harsh winter. Just replant even one.
Sunny

I think I have just about lost everything for this year except for things that just go dormant, like garlic, strawberries, asparagus, and so on. We covered the broccoli, when it warms up today I'll go out and uncover, see if it made it through. I had some little lettuces that came up volunteer from seed that formed on spring's plants, but I pulled them and ate them. They were very crisp and not at all bitter. I really love fall lettuce. One of these days I'm going to get a cold frame erected in a spot right outside my office door, and plant lettuce in that for late fall / early winter.

Sunny all my inside places for plants are full of begonias, coleus and other flowers I am trying to keep through the winter. I have a sort of cold frame but it was occupied at the time I sprinkled this late lettuce around.

Amazon has upped their order amount necessary for free shipping. The Lee Reich paperback was only $8 and Margaret Roach's book sold as used like new was $14. The book looks new to me. For gifts you want new books but when I order for myself used has always worked. Then you have to find enough to order to bring it up to get the free shipping.

I'll bet those interior spaces are going to be gorgeous when they decide to bloom. And the color will be very welcome.

What in the world would we do without Amazon?? I'm a voracous reader, too, Helen.

Ilene, what do you want to bet the broccoli survived? My Brussels sprouts did, and the sprouts are so sweet and tender after the frost. Think I'll just mulch and leave them all winter.
Sunny

We had 19 degrees on Thursday morning. I didn't get out to uncover the broccoli till Friday but no damage at all, Sunny! Expecting several good days and nights ahead. Two of the plants have headed up, not very big, but something, anyway.

I hadn't thought of mulching and trying to keep them going all winter, I have some bags of leaves and some chicken wire to hold it all together, I just might give it a try, too! I'm trying to winter over some cabbages and beets to see if I can get seeds from them this spring and they are planted right there with the broccoli. Some mulch would be good for them, too.

Helen, have you been to Margaret Roach's website?

Here is a link that might be useful: Helen Roach's A Way To Garden

Good idea to try to overwinter, Ilene. You have nothing to lose, really.

Last year, as an experiment, I kept a couple of Bloomsdale spinach plants and something else (can't remember what) with two cold frames made of translucent sterite. These were tall enough for a mature plant - something you need to consider. One bin was 18 qt and the other 28? qt. I hinged the lids with cable ties so I could prop the lids up a bit on "warm" sunny days. Every night I piled bags of leaves on top of the bins and took the bags off in the morning if I could. This spring the spinach was soooo good, and I had it into summer. I also put loose oak leaves around the plants in the "cold frames."

You might consider this if you have a clear bin/s you could sacrifice by cutting out (box cutter) most of the bottom, drilling several holes in a 2" lip left on the bottom and putting in 6" spikes to hold it in place. Sorry I can't send the photos -- they're not in jpeg format.

Also, if you might have a spare basement window well cover and your plants are in a bed next to the house, that works, as well. Just a thought.
Sunny

The two days of freezing got my late lettuce. I think the turnips made it just fine. Everything else is a goner.

The last couple of days have been nice except for the drizzle.

Sun is shining nicely right now as I head out to the barn.

Glenda, I envy you your cozy barn -- I remember ours, and sitting on a hay bale in the sun, after pushing off the cats. And the wonderful old, old rotted hay/straw in there which we used for mulch on the vegetable garden. It was even warm in there when it was cold out.

I should try growing turnips, as I love them. And I imagine they are very sweet right now --
Sunny

Sunny, we have one of those barns you are talking about too but this one is a cold, concrete milk barn, ca 1950, where I milk my cow. there is also a separate room that did house the bulk milk tank but now is my storage area for everything! I also have an extra refrigerator in there for milk and other overflow.

I checked the turnips and they are still ok. some aren't going to make roots but I will get a couple more messes out of them I think. I love them too; DH won't touch them!