Frost’s Descent Farming

During Frost’s Descent, the autumn harvest across Northeast China is fully complete and autumn field preparation has also been finished. The focus of farm work shifts entirely from the fields to grain storage and preparation for the following year.
The autumn harvest is fully complete. By Frost’s Descent, harvesting of Northeast China’s three major crops—maize, rice, and soybeans—is fully finished. Grain has been brought safely into storage and the autumn harvest is completely over. The very small number of fields whose harvest was delayed for exceptional reasons are also finished before Frost’s Descent.
Autumn field preparation is fully complete. By Frost’s Descent, all autumn field preparation across Northeast China has been finished. Deep loosening and land preparation are fully complete, with loosening carried out to 30–35 cm to break the plow pan and create good soil conditions for spring sowing the following year. Straw incorporation is also fully complete, with shredded maize stalks returned to the soil to increase organic matter and protect the region’s black soils. Straw removal is likewise finished, with baled residues removed for use as livestock feed, biomass fuel, or papermaking material. Completing autumn field preparation lays a solid foundation for spring sowing the following year.
Grain storage and marketing are fully underway. By Frost’s Descent, storage of autumn grain across Northeast China is fully underway. Drying is complete and moisture levels have fallen below safe-storage standards: maize ≤14%, rice ≤14%, soybeans ≤13%. Grain has been placed into storage facilities equipped with measures against moisture, insects, and rodents.
Marketing is also fully underway. Farmers decide when to sell according to market prices and their own needs. Some grain is sold immediately after harvest, while some is stored while farmers wait for more favorable prices. The quality of grain storage directly affects annual farm income.
Winter forage reserves in pastoral areas are fully complete. In eastern Inner Mongolia, winter forage preparation is finished by Frost’s Descent. Cutting, drying, baling, and storage are all completed, providing full preparation for livestock to overwinter safely.
Protected agriculture. During Frost’s Descent, greenhouse vegetables in Northeast China enter active growth management. Autumn and winter greenhouse production is fully underway, and temperature management needs to be strengthened, with daytime temperatures maintained at 25–28°C and nighttime temperatures at 12–15°C, together with preparations for insulation and cold protection.

During Frost’s Descent, Northwest China enters the final push of autumn management. Cotton picking enters its last intensive stage, winter-wheat seedling management continues, and orchard harvesting approaches completion.
Final push of the cotton harvest. In Xinjiang, cotton enters its last intensive harvest stage during Frost’s Descent. Boll opening approaches completion, and any unharvested fields need to be picked before Frost’s Descent. Farmers take advantage of clear weather to finish the final harvest tasks, hand-picking only fully opened white cotton. After picking, cotton is promptly dried, graded, baled, and stored or sold.
Cotton harvesting continues through late October and must be fully finished around Frost’s Descent. If early frost occurs, unharvested cotton can suffer freezing injury that seriously reduces fiber quality and causes major losses. Completing the cotton harvest before Frost’s Descent is therefore a critical production milestone.
Winter-wheat seedling management continues. During Frost’s Descent, management of newly emerged winter wheat continues across Northwest China. Winter wheat sown from mid-September to early October has fully emerged and entered the seedling stage.
Key measures include checking emergence and filling gaps, with missing plants and broken rows resown promptly; resowing cannot be delayed too long, otherwise young plants may not overwinter safely. Seedling-stage pest control targets aphids, cutworms, and other insects that damage young plants and require timely treatment. Pre-winter weed control is also necessary because weeds compete with wheat seedlings for water and nutrients.
Farmers also focus on developing strong seedlings before winter. Ideally, winter wheat should form 3–5 tillers and a well-developed root system before winter, providing the basis for safe overwintering and a good harvest the following year. Weak stands may receive 3–5 kg of urea per *mu* as seedling-stage topdressing to promote growth.
Pre-winter soil firming is carried out in overly vigorous wheat fields to check excessive top growth, promote root development, prevent premature stem elongation before winter, and reduce freezing injury during overwintering. The quality of seedling management directly affects overwinter survival and final yield.
Orchard harvesting approaches completion. In southern Xinjiang, harvesting of apples, red dates, and other orchard crops enters its final stage. Late-maturing “富士” apples reach peak harvest from mid- to late October. They are one of China’s most important late-maturing apple cultivars, and the period around Frost’s Descent is considered the optimal harvest time, when sugar levels are highest and fruit coloration is at its best. Growers determine harvest timing according to coloration of at least 80% and sugar content of at least 13%, followed by prompt precooling, grading, packing, cold storage, or sale.
Xinjiang red dates also reach peak harvest in mid- to late October. They are among Xinjiang’s most distinctive orchard products, and the period around Frost’s Descent is the optimal harvest time. After picking, they are promptly dried, graded, packed, and sold. Grape harvesting is fully complete.
Growers need to pay attention to proper harvest timing, postharvest management, and autumn fertilization. Autumn fertilizer application, based mainly on organic fertilizer, needs to be completed before leaf fall and is crucial to growth and fruiting the following year.
Specialty crops. Potato harvesting around Dingxi, Gansu, is fully complete. Goji harvesting in Ningxia is fully complete. Processing-tomato harvesting in Xinjiang is also fully complete.

During Frost’s Descent, North China enters the final push of autumn sowing. Winter-wheat sowing reaches its last intensive stage and must be completed before Frost’s Descent, cotton picking remains at peak intensity, and the autumn harvest is fully complete.
Final push of winter-wheat sowing. During Frost’s Descent, winter-wheat sowing in North China enters its final critical stage. The saying “霜降种麦正当时” applies in some localities, but overall Frost’s Descent represents the final sowing window for winter wheat.
The first priority is sowing without delay. Winter wheat must be sown before Frost’s Descent. If sowing is delayed beyond this point, insufficient accumulated heat before winter can prevent seedlings from becoming strong, increase winter mortality, and sharply reduce yield the following year.
For delayed sowing, farmers increase the seeding rate, adding 0.5 kg per *mu* for each day of delay to compensate for insufficient tillering before winter. They also select cultivars tolerant of late sowing and with strong cold resistance, including semi-winter or weak-spring types. After sowing, the soil is firmed to conserve moisture and ensure uniform emergence.
Completing winter-wheat sowing before Frost’s Descent is one of the key agricultural milestones for securing the following year’s harvest in North China.
Peak cotton harvest. Cotton across North China remains at peak harvest during Frost’s Descent. Large numbers of bolls are open and farmers take advantage of clear weather to pick, dry, grade, bale, and sell the cotton. Harvest continues through late October, and the period around Frost’s Descent is especially important.
The autumn harvest is fully complete. By Frost’s Descent, harvesting of summer maize, spring maize, soybeans, peanuts, and other autumn crops across North China is fully finished. Grain is safely stored, straw management is complete, and autumn harvesting is fully over.
Orchard harvesting approaches completion. Apple and pear harvesting enters its final stage across North China. Late-maturing “富士” apples are harvested in mid- to late October, and the period around Frost’s Descent is the optimal harvest time, when sugar levels are highest and coloration is best. Mid-season apple cultivars have been fully harvested. Pear harvesting is fully complete.
Growers need to pay attention to proper harvest timing, postharvest management, and autumn fertilization. Autumn fertilization should be completed before leaf fall and is based mainly on organic fertilizer supplemented with compound fertilizer.
Vegetable management. Autumn-sown vegetables such as Chinese cabbage and radish enter harvest. Chinese cabbage is harvested around Frost’s Descent and needs to be brought in before frost, which can freeze the leaves, soften the heads, and cause rot. After harvest, it is promptly stored or sold.
Autumn radish also enters harvest and needs to be harvested before frost, since freezing can cause hollowing or frost injury. Storage of winter vegetables—including Chinese cabbage, radish, and scallions—moves fully underway in cellars and other storage facilities.

During Frost’s Descent, the middle and lower Yangtze enters the closing stage of autumn harvesting and sowing. Late rice enters large-scale harvest, while rapeseed sowing reaches its final critical stage.
Large-scale late-rice harvest. Across the Yangtze River basin, late rice enters large-scale harvest during Frost’s Descent. Panicles turn fully yellow, grains become full and hard, and the crop reaches physiological maturity. Farmers seize clear weather for harvesting, with rice combines operating in the paddies day and night. After harvest, grain is promptly dried until moisture falls below 14% before storage, or mechanically dried.
The late-rice harvest window generally lasts only 1–2 weeks, so weather forecasts require close attention. If the persistent autumn rains of western China are expected, harvesting needs to be completed before the rain arrives. The period around Frost’s Descent is a critical harvest window for late rice in the Yangtze River basin, and most harvesting needs to be completed between Frost’s Descent and the Beginning of Winter.
Final critical stage of rapeseed sowing. During Frost’s Descent, rapeseed sowing across the Yangtze River basin enters its final push. Frost’s Descent is the last important sowing window. If sowing occurs later, insufficient accumulated heat before winter can prevent the formation of strong seedlings and increase winter mortality.
Key measures include sowing without delay, with all sowing completed before Frost’s Descent; moderately increasing the seeding rate for late planting to compensate for reduced pre-winter growth; selecting cultivars tolerant of delayed sowing; ensuring effective field drainage through main ditches, cross-field ditches, and perimeter ditches, since rainfall remains relatively frequent after Frost’s Descent and drainage is crucial to safe overwintering; and firming the soil after sowing to ensure uniform emergence.
Completing rapeseed sowing before Frost’s Descent is a key milestone for securing the following year’s rapeseed yield.
Transition from late-rice harvest to rapeseed sowing. In rice–rapeseed rotation areas of the Yangtze River basin, the transition from late-rice harvesting to rapeseed sowing enters its final intensive stage during Frost’s Descent. Immediately after late rice is harvested, fields are plowed and prepared and rapeseed is sown, taking advantage of the last available agricultural window. The shorter the interval between harvest and sowing, the more growing time rapeseed has before winter.
Pest and disease control. During Frost’s Descent, late-rice pest and disease control enters its final stage. The final treatment needs to be completed before harvest in order to protect grain quality.
Vegetables and aquaculture. Harvesting and storage of winter vegetables across the Yangtze River basin, including Chinese cabbage and radish, move fully underway. In aquaculture, temperatures continue to fall and fish feed less, so feeding rates need to be reduced and preparations made for overwintering.

During Frost’s Descent, Southwest China enters the closing stage of autumn harvesting and sowing. Rapeseed sowing reaches its final critical phase, orchards enter maturity and harvest, and the autumn harvest is fully complete.
Final critical stage of rapeseed sowing. During Frost’s Descent, rapeseed sowing across Southwest China enters its final push. Frost’s Descent represents the final sowing window. Farmers sow without delay, combining plowing, basal fertilization, sowing, soil firming, and establishment of effective field drainage, and aim to complete sowing before Frost’s Descent. Finishing rapeseed sowing before this point is a key milestone for securing yield the following year.
The autumn harvest is fully complete. Harvesting of middle-season rice, maize, soybeans, and other autumn crops across Southwest China is fully finished by Frost’s Descent. Grain has been stored and the autumn harvest is completely over.
Orchard management. Citrus-growing regions across Southwest China move from fruit coloration toward pre-maturity. Fruits continue coloring and accumulating sugar, making this a critical stage for determining quality. Farmers apply 5–8 kg of potassium sulfate per *mu* to promote sugar accumulation and coloration, moderately restrict water to encourage sugar accumulation, and continue the final control of citrus red mites, leaf miners, canker, anthracnose, and other pests and diseases. Early-maturing citrus cultivars begin to be harvested.

#### (1) Mainland South China
Late-rice maturity and harvest. During Frost’s Descent, late rice across South China enters maturity and harvest. Panicles turn fully yellow, grains become full and hard, and physiological maturity is reached. Farmers take advantage of clear weather to harvest with combines, then promptly dry and store the grain.
Late-rice harvesting is the final stage of the autumn harvest in South China, and the period around Frost’s Descent is a critical harvest window. Once the late-rice harvest is complete, the year’s rice-production cycle in South China comes to an end.
Tropical-fruit management. Bananas in Guangdong, Guangxi, and Hainan enter maturity and harvest. From late October into November, bananas reach maturity and farmers take advantage of clear weather to harvest, grade, pack, and sell them. Citrus moves from fruit coloration toward pre-maturity, and early-maturing citrus cultivars begin to be harvested. Tropical-fruit harvesting enters its final stage.
Vegetables and aquaculture. Open-field vegetables across South China enter rapid growth and peak harvest. In aquaculture, temperatures gradually fall, requiring lower feeding rates and preparations for overwintering.
#### (2) Taiwan
Rice: In central Taiwan—including Changhua, Yunlin, and the Chianan Plain—the second rice crop reaches peak harvest during Frost’s Descent. In southern Taiwan, particularly the Kaohsiung–Pingtung region, the second harvest enters its final stage. In northern Taiwan, including Taoyuan and Hsinchu, the second crop enters maturity and harvest.
Vegetables: During Frost’s Descent, autumn-sown vegetables across Taiwan enter harvest.
Fruit trees: Citrus moves from fruit coloration toward pre-maturity, while bananas enter maturity and harvest.
Tea: Autumn management in tea gardens across central and southern regions such as Nantou and Chiayi enters its final stage. Autumn management also approaches completion in northern tea districts such as Wenshan and Sanxia.
Fisheries: Fishing continues in waters around Taiwan during Frost’s Descent.
Farmer’s proverbs and folk customs: Taiwanese folk tradition preserves the saying “霜降風颱跑去藏”, meaning that after Frost’s Descent the typhoon season is essentially over. Another saying, “霜降吃柿子，不會流鼻水”, links eating persimmons during Frost’s Descent with good health. There is also the custom “霜降看菊花”, as chrysanthemums are in full bloom and Frost’s Descent is considered an ideal time for viewing them.