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drippy_gw

Frost Protection Necessary?

drippy
13 years ago

They are predicting 34 as a low tonight, which in my area means it could well get down to 32. I have spinach, lettuce, radishes & peas coming up - I know peas will be ok, but should I cover the others? I am definitely going to throw something over the tomato seedlings I have hardened off.

I also bought a calibrochoa yesterday - it was out last night and did fine, but I don't know if that will withstand light frost?

Comments (8)

  • rhizo_1 (North AL) zone 7
    13 years ago

    Even though temperatures may drop into the low 30s, I don't know that a frost is eminent. We need to get these 'weather guys' around here to speak in terms of dew point and frost point temperatures. Let's email 'em!

    Everything you've mentioned should be perfectly fine, even with a light frost. The only thing I would remotely question would be the actual flowers on your calibrochoa (though I suspect they would be ok). You might want to protect it, just in case.

    By the way, anyone who wants to cover some tender plants (tsk tsk for planting so early), be sure to do so BEFORE it gets dark so that the covering you use can capture some of the heat from the soil. Use a cloth type substance, a material that will breathe somewhat. Got any old sheets?

  • drippy
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    Thanks, Rhizo, I knew I could count on you! Yes, I was going to throw something - I have Remay, or could use sheets - over my tomatoes. They are not in the ground yet; just hardened off seedlings. Two of the buckets, which have the number of seedlings I need, can be carried indoors tonight. I always wind up with more than I need when I grow from seed, so I give whatever else survives away.

    The calibrochoa doesn't actually have any flowers on it right now - I chose the healthiest looking plant in the shop, even though it had no blooms right now. Time enough for that.

    Thanks again!

  • sundog7
    13 years ago

    I saw a frost advisory on wunderground.com just now. Kinda figured something like this would happen.

    My fig tree has dozens of tiny little figs that may get nipped.

  • alabamanicole
    13 years ago

    I covered the fruit trees but we didn't get any frost here. Still, we may get another frost around next weekend according to the long range forecast.

  • rhizo_1 (North AL) zone 7
    13 years ago

    Remember that hard freeze on Easter weekend a few years ago? What a disaster that was! All of the trees were in full, young leaf; the blooming period was long over. This part of the country has been in a deep drought for quite some time and I just cringed when I thought about how those trees were going to come out of having their food factories (leaves) killed at such a time. Lots of trees DIDN'T recover.

  • alabamanicole
    13 years ago

    That was a brutal year all around. That was at my old place where I inherited some neglected fruit and nut trees, and the year off seemed to do them good.

  • drippy
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    When I woke up Friday morning there was the barest touch of frost on the cars - not visible in the grass. I was glad I covered the tomato flats, though. They won't be going into the ground real soon.

  • organic_kitten
    13 years ago

    Just to give yo an idea. That Easter with the frost when all the azaleas were in bloom? DH and I set up three fans to blow on the azaleas...I don't think we lost a flower.

    These were not enormous fans, just 18 inches.
    kay

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