Two years ago, I actually went so far as to stay up all night moving a mobile fire pit around a Japanese Maple with freshly opened leaves just to be sure it survived 24 degrees. (It worked, but I don't recommend it.) I had covered all of my hostas, but what else can you do with a 7' Japanese Maple?

I just use pots up to 30 gallon in size to cover things. If my biggest pots can't cover something that is too big I make a tent over the plant with a sheet and supports to keep the weight of the sheet off of the leaves.

We use frost cloth when temps and frost is coming. We also use large pots or baskets and invert them over plants that have leafed out. It's worked for many, many years!

Great post.

Does weather.com show frost warnings at this time of year?

Gesila

I have been watching the US weather radar at the site linked below. They have freeze forecast maps.

Here is a link that might be useful: Intellicast Weather

I've never heard of #4. #2 is true, but not really because ice gives off heat when it freezes (it does, but that small amount of heat is lost quickly to evaporative cooling). When you have liquid water and ice present the ice/water temperature never goes below 32 degrees so wet plant tissue never freezes so long as there is some liquid water in contact with it, even if it is also covered in some ice. The greater heat source is actually coming from the liquid water which is well above freezing all the time.

I have lots of frost blankets ready to go, but luckily have few hostas up and none leafed out. Mid 20s forecast for Monday morning.

Will hosta be okay if they're still tightly furled? Nance

water comes out of my well at 56 degrees.. it wont freeze at that temp.. and if constant.. would prevent freeze/frost ...

unfortunately.. that is meaningless with a garden spread over 2 acres ... unless i get some jet powered well pump ...

the list left out cardboard boxes from the recycle bin ...

whatever you cover with.. it has to come off.. before the next sun hits... so if you have to go to work early.. there might be a catch 22 of too early to take of the coverings.. but afterwork might be too late ...

ken

Will hosta be okay if they're still tightly furled?

===>>>>
it depends on how cold ...

what basically happens.. is that individual cells form ice crystals.. and burst ...

a light frost ... might just leave a leaf speckled.. as only a few cells burst .. and you will notice it a week or two later.. when those cells turn brown ... and in this case.. only the outer leaves would be affected ...

in a hard frost/freeze .. the entire plant is decimated ... though it can and will releaf ...

once that bud that overwintered ... start elongating.. and pumping water into the cells.. there is the potential for damage ...

we usually play the game somewhere in between ....

if you dont want to worry.. you protect them all, as best you can .. and then satisfy yourself .. that you did the best you could ...

or you take my zen approach.. with full knowledge that mother nature is a witch ... and whatever happens.. happens.. and all i can do about it .. rhymes with witch ...

you have to become you inner farmer.. never happy with what the witch throws at you ... too wet.. too dry.. too cloudy.. too cold.. too hot.. too much drought.. etc ...

ken

Yes, Weather.com will show freeze/frost warnings. Monday night will be 24 dgrs here, but only Lancifolia and Albomarginata show pips, and they are expendable. Only leafed out hostas are seedlings in the basement.
Bernd

This is what frost damage looks like:

Look at the darker areas on the shoot right at the front of the pot, this was taken on the 19th...you see some more above and just above slightly to the right...

Pieter

I set it up for weather.com to email me the day before if the low is going to be 32 or colder. I already know that tomorrow night might drop to 30. I've got a bunch of cardboard boxes on the front porch ready to go.

Make sure you do not cut off leaves which get deformed by frost. I did this two years ago in June/July on one Singing in the Rain, which was frozen severely in May. It did not reflush, and then barely came back last year.
Bernd

Front bed is ready for tonight.

After tax season is over, I am going to sew sheets together so this entire area can be covered quickly.