Just after our last official threat of frost this year, it stormed. And stormed. And stormed. Although there's no much you can do to protect your young vegetable plot from rain (I'm thankful I planted my veggies on berms, or they would have drowned), you can shelter them from another springtime threat: frost. The first rule is to plant your veggies after the last threat of frost in your area. To discover what that is, check out this USDA gardening map. You can also winter sow many of your veggies, which means they won't flinch at a little frost. But if unusual temperature drops - or even snow! - have you nervous, try these tricks:

* Cut the bottoms off semi-transparent milk jugs and pop them over tender plants. Leave the caps off if the sun is out, to give the plants some air circulation. I actually prefer these milk jugs to expensive, store bought cloches, and I start saving them in the winter months so I have a good supply on hand for the spring. * Alternatively, use a 2 liter clear plastic soda bottle in the same fashion. * If you don't have any milk jugs laying around, you can make newspaper tepees instead. (They won't last very long if it's wet, though.) To create a tepee, layer about 6 sections of the newspaper together, then roll them into tepee shape (leaving a hole at the top to allow a little light and air in). Staple in place and set over the plant. * To make newspaper tepees more sturdy, you can wrap the newspaper around tomato cages. * If you have cardboard boxes laying around, use them to cover up plants at night. Be sure to remove them first thing in the morning, though. The plants need light!