Early Frost

We had our first frost on Saturday night. For those of you keeping track, and well, I am, that's a few days short of 4 months. We had some damage in the garden, but it was limited to the tops of plants.

The green beans got hit the hardest. I've put up so many pounds of these by now, that if these plants don't produce another bean I won't be too sad.

The cayenne pepper plants got hit hard, too. The peppers seem ok for the most part; I'm hoping they can hold on for awhile because I'd like them to turn red before picking.

The tomatoes are fine, there was a little damage to the plants, but at this point those are pretty superfluous to the fruit's development.

The habeneros went crazy this year, the plants are massive and, thus, protected the fruit. Then again, can anything freeze a habenero?

There was some discussion on a gardening listserv I'm on about what kind of plant/weed this is. It turns out, it is a Pokeweed. Doesn't that name make you kind of happy? Further research reveals that both the berries and roots can be used for dye. The only problem I have with this particular plant is that it is in an inconvenient location, right next to the garden, where it is encroaching on some tomato plant, so it will have to go. If it comes up somewhere else next year, I'll be happy to let it live. If not, I can always make a necklace to remember it by!