Frost is about to leap on us once more. The stars are twinkling extra bright, which means less moisture in the air and no cloud cover to act like a doona for the garden. Subscribe now for unlimited access .
$ 0 / (min cost $ 0 ) Login or signup to continue reading Continue with Email Continue with Google Continue with Apple See subscription options Twinkle, twinkle little star Frost is coming, blah blah blah Any morning now summer's flowers and that final stubborn zucchini and tomato plant will turn brown; you will realise once again why scarves were invented, and the windscreen will be ice unless you have under-cover parking. (The crab apple tree I park my car under doesn't count.) Plus the hose will be frozen so I will need to carry a bucket of water from the house, and any pumpkin still left on the vine will partially freeze and promptly rot.
On the other hand, the frost will ripen any kiwi fruit the possums have left us; the medlars will soften; the winter apples like Democrat or Lady Williams or Pink Lady will turn sweeter, and the already sweet and juicy oranges will intensify in flavour in a way that you have never encountered if you have only tasted supermarket produce. Canberra winters are spectacular. Picture Shutterstock It's time for the "frost beaters", the ways to pretend we are in the subtropics even if our garden goes down to minus 9 degrees.
Today, or maybe tomorrow, I will wrap the coffee bush in bubble wrap then stuff the bubble wrap with more bubble, which.