Gardening: In remaining warm days, use floating row cover to trap heat, extend ripening

For those of us in the slightly warmer parts of the region, we dodged the first early frost with only minor kisses of cold on the tomato leaves. Traditionally, we now will get several more weeks of Indian summer during which the last of the tomatoes, peppers, melons and squash will finish ripening.

To take full advantage of the remaining warm weather, tomatoes, peppers and eggplant can be covered with floating row cover to hold in the heat that will ripen the fruits. Row cover is a spun polyester fabric that lets in sun, heat and water and is thick enough to provide some insulation. The fabric can be supported on arched pieces of half or three quarter-inch PVC pipe put across your beds. It is easy to raise up and check or harvest your crops. The fabric is quite durable and if stored out of the weather when not in use can last five or more years.

Melons have such a long growing season here and it is always a challenge to get them ripe, even when we have a hot summer like this year. Then telling when they are ripe can be even a bigger challenge. For watermelons, look for a very small, spoon-shaped leaf near the stem on the melon. Then look on the bottom of the melon. If the little leaf is brown and the patch on the bottom is almost white, its ready to pick. For cantaloupes, when the fruit changes from green to tan or yellowish-gray between the netting and has a sweet scent, its ready to pick.

Winter squash like acorns, Hubbard, spaghetti and butternut need to be left in the garden to fully size up and develop a hard rind so they store well. They can handle light frosts that kill the vines. A squash or pumpkin will be fully colored when ripe. They should have a hollow sound when thumped. Take your thumbnail and try to dent the skin, a ripe squash will not dent easily. The stems holding the fruit to the vine should be brown and the foliage should be starting to die down.

To prepare the squash for long term storage leave a two to three-inch stem on the fruit. Place them on wire or slatted racks in a dry 60- to 70-degree place for a couple of weeks to harden off. Then store them on racks in a cool, well-ventilated area until you use them. Acorn squash will keep for about four weeks while spaghetti squash will store about four to five weeks. Butternut squash will last up to six months while the giant blue Hubbard will last six to seven months.

Carrots, parsnips, and beets can be left in the garden until we get a hard frost. They get sweeter with a few frosts. Carrots and parsnips can be covered with four inches of hay or pine needles and left in the garden until late winter when the ground thaws. They are then a sweet treat to kick off the new garden season.