What to Do When Your Jalapeno Pepper Plants Get Hit by Frost

Spring Frost

• It's tempting one the first few sunny days of spring to rush out into the garden and plant your vegetables. However, jalapenos and all other peppers are warm-weather crops and will not thrive in cold soil. If you put out young pepper plants too early in the season, you risk them being exposed to a late spring frost. This frost will kill young jalapeno plants. The leaves and stems blacken and the plant won't recover. If this happens, pull up the plant, buy another and wait until nighttime temperatures average 50 degrees F.

Fall Frost

• Sometimes frost can't be predicted or your garden may have frost pockets where frost develops even if other areas don't. A single night of frost can kill your pepper plants. If frost does hit and you didn't take preventative measures, you'll notice the leaves turn black. Nothing will save a pepper plant exposed to frosty conditions. The peppers will still be edible. Your best bet is to harvest any jalapenos on the plant, then dig up the plant and compost it.

Container Plants

• If the weather forecasts hints that temperatures will fall below 40 degrees, move your pepper plants inside. As long as daytime temperatures are at least 65 degrees and you have a sunny spot to keep your plants in, you can put your peppers back outside during the day. The plants will remain productive until they finish their life cycle.

Protecting In Ground Plants

• Digging up your peppers when they have set fruit places too much stress on them. If a night with temperatures 40 degrees or lower is predicted, cover your peppers with a light towel or heavy sheet. Place the cloth so it doesn't break any stems but still covers the entire plant. Once the day warms and the pepper is in full sun, remove the cover.