An unusually long growing season should come to an end tonight. The National Weather Service predicts that temperatures will drop to a low of 28 degrees in Lawrence, marking the first hard freeze of the year.

A few weeks ago, temperatures in Lawrence hovered around freezing, but tonight’s temperatures are expected to be cold enough to kill vegetation.

The change in temperatures means that today gardeners need to harvest whatever is left on the vine, bring inside potted plants and cover outside plants they want to save.

But with the dip in temperatures so late in the season, Jennifer Smith, a horticulture agent with the Douglas County Extension Office, said there might not be much left to keep.

“Most things, you probably want to go ahead and let them freeze. You’re not going to keep them alive all winter and it is going to continue to be cold,” Smith said.

Smith also recommends bringing in jack-o’-lanterns and pumpkins because they decay faster in freezing temperatures.

The drop in temperature is a result of cold air moving in from the Northwest. That air has been producing strong winds the past few days, but tonight the wind is expected to decrease, and the sky should clear, creating prime conditions for a cold night.