Vegetable growers in Estonia are not concerned about the season's first night frosts, which saw temperatures fall to -3 degrees Celsius, and say the cold can improve crop quality.
At 7 a.m. on Tuesday, the Environment Agency measured -3 degrees Celsius in Jõgeva and -2 degrees in both Kuusiku and Türi.
At Jõeääre Farm near Kirna, harvesting began in mid-September. Growers Urmas and Laivi Laks reported that rainy weather delayed the potato harvest, taking two weeks instead of the usual few days. By the end of September, three nights of frost had already affected their fields and garden.
"The night was cold enough. It showed -3, but the leaves are still looking good. So I think nothing got damaged, and we'll be able to harvest successfully. The weather is supposed to stay nice until the end of the week, so we'll be able to get all the more delicate crops in too," said Urmas Laks.
"The crop isn't ruined, it's only getting better. All the vitamins and juices are still accumulating. It is nothing to worry about. Carrots and cabbage still want a bit more cold. When the frost passes through, they become juicier. Next up, we will gather all the flowers to keep things looking nice, and of course, the beet harvest is coming next," added Laivi Laks.
Krister Kallas, sales manager at Mehka's Paide store, commented on machinery care during frosts. "This night frost does not really do anything to a robotic lawnmower. The robot should be able to recognize that it is frosty and simply will not go out. It is the same with ride-on mowers – some people still want to get in one last mow even in October. But once it really gets cold, the battery should be removed from the lawn tractor and brought indoors," he said.
He added that forgetting a robotic mower outside over winter could cause permanent damage. "There's a lot of electronics in there, and it will get too much moisture over the winter. If all the electronics need to be replaced, you're basically looking at the cost of a new robot."
Source: ERR