As far as most gardeners are concerned, frost arrives too early in autumn and departs too late in spring. Most gardeners look for ways to start things growing outdoors in spring when the days turn warmer, even if temperatures dip below freezing at night. In autumn we try to find ways to keep things growing while the days are still warm, even as the nights become increasingly colder.

Here are 5 things you can do to extend your growing season in fall or spring:

1. Use so-called bell cloches. These are essentially any glass or plastic jar placed over an individual plant. It protects them from frost and if used properly during the day, can warm the air around the plant and the ground beneath it. Because the sun's rays are magnified by the glass, it is very important to keep an eye on the daytime temperature. Cloches should be removed on sunny days when the air temperature warms up enough for condensation to form on the inside of the glass.

2. Cover an entire row of crops with floating row covers. Floating row covers are made from lightweight, non-woven fabric and they rest on top of the plants without crushing them. Secure the ends of the floating row covers to the ground with rocks or bury with soil. They offer a few degrees of protection against freezing temperatures.

3. Another type of row cover uses hoops that are placed over the row of vegetables with a protective covering placed over the hoops. You can use a fairly heavy fabric with this method because the hoops protect the plants from the weight of the cloth by holding it up above their tops. Secure the edges to the ground with rocks or bury with soil.

4. Another "cover up" method has been used by thrifty gardeners everywhere, particularly for covering tomatoes in the fall. Drape old linens over your plants and put rocks over the ends on the ground so the covers don't blow off.

5. Use a cold frame. A cold frame is a bottomless box with a hinged glass top. You put it over your plants and unlike the other methods, you can leave it there day and night. If daytime temperatures get too warm, vent the box by opening the top but be sure to close it at night. Cold frames will keep many crops alive even if temperatures drop far below freezing. Cover the glass top with an insulating layer of blankets or hay for a few extra degrees of protection. Paint empty milk jugs black and fill them with water. Place several of them into the cold frame. During the day the sun will heat them up, then they will give off their heat at night, warming the interior of the cold frame.

Depending on the severity of your winter climate, you can keep many cold weather crops growing long past your first fall frost using some or all of these methods.

Sharon Sweeny is a creative copywriter, specializing in gardening and self-sufficient do-it-yourself lifestyles. She divides her free time among her garden in Minneapolis, alternately juggling half a dozen creative projects and blogging on gardening at http://moxiegardener.com while pondering the exact location of Frostbite Falls, Minnesota.

Want to get the best writing for today's Internet? Whatever niche or market you are in Sharon Sweeny will help get you noticed. Work with a professional who gets the job done right and on time with no excuses.

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