How I Protect Our Peppers When Frost Rolls In

When the air starts to bite in the Pacific Northwest, I start watching the forecast closely, especially for those first signs of frost. Here at Garden Gate Lavender, we grow all kinds of things besides lavender, and the peppers are always the ones that keep me on my toes in late fall.

When frost is on its way, the goal is simple, protect what’s still growing. 

I cover our pepper plants with fabric sheets in the evening before the temperature drops. Regular cotton or frost cloth works best, never plastic. Plastic traps moisture and can actually make things worse by freezing the leaves underneath.

Fabric, on the other hand, lets the plants breathe while keeping just enough warmth close to them. I’ve tested this approach season after season, and it consistently saves the peppers from light frost damage.

If you’re doing this at home, make sure the sheets reach all the way to the ground and are anchored gently so the wind doesn’t lift them off overnight. In the morning, remove the covers once the sun is up and the frost has melted. It’s a bit of work, but it keeps the plants healthy just a little longer.

There’s a point when the cold settles in and there’s no stopping it, a “hard frost.” When that’s in the forecast, I walk the rows and pick every last pepper. It’s part of my end-of-season harvest routine. The plants won’t survive a hard freeze, but the fruit still ripens off the vine if you keep it in a warm spot indoors. That final harvest always settles the pace. The plants have done their part, and it’s time to rest the ground until the next cycle begins.

Next year, my husband wants to try using plastic hoop coverings over the pepper beds to see if that adds another layer of protection. It’s still an experiment, we haven’t tested it yet, but it’ll be interesting to see if the hoops make a difference for those cold October and November nights. I’ll share how that goes when the time comes.

Don’t be discouraged when frost shows up. With a few old sheets and a little planning, you can stretch the season just enough to make it count. Frost belongs to the season just as much as sunshine does. What matters is how you respond, when to cover, when to harvest, and when to let go. A calm hand and a watchful eye will always carry the garden through. That’s how the story keeps going here.