I have been living in New Jersey. The weather is beautiful and the locals are friendly and generous. I still occasionally get requests for my advice on living a healthy and productive life. But after living in the northern-most Jersey suburbs, I have to admit that the winters here are the worst in New Jersey. I am also not a fan of the way the winter weather affects the plant life, including our crops like lettuce.
We here in the northeast are fortunate to be able to survive the winter season without too much damage to our crops. But many areas of the country experience the effects of a cold winter at least a few times a year. What you’re describing is a phenomenon often called “winter kill.” Basically, this is when plants and other vegetation die at a faster rate than they would normally. This is often a result of the freezing temperatures that are typical of the winter months.