FREEZE WARNING for us in northwest-central CT -- ugh! Doubt it really will freeze (34 degrees is the forecast) but still... so many things now blooming or popping up with tender new foliage. But in the reality check category, I think our normal last frost date is around now so not really all that extraordinary. Just discouraging! ;)

Forecast for our area of Vermont is for 32 F later this afternoon, and judging from the bitter wind and snow flurries 15 minutes ago when I was outside, I don't doubt it. It will definitely freeze here tonight.

...now drinking hot tea to steel myself and warm up before going back out to bring my flowers into the house... This weather is for the birds... penguins and puffins, that is.

Frost Advisory here and it probably won't get down to 32 degrees, but I've got some big, heavy cane begonias and a few other houseplants out on the deck for hardening off. I really don't want to drag them in again (each time I move them I break off leaves or stems).

My concern for the last few days was to keep them shady so they wouldn't burn their leaves, but this afternoon I constructed a wall of frost blanket and other insulation to keep them from freezing. They're snug up to the wall/glass door and I think they'll be OK,

Tomorrow night is supposed to be about the same temperature.

Claire

24 tomato plants went into the ground yesterday and they are ON THEIR OWN. (probably no frost here which is 800 ft. from the ocean.)

Carol

ontheteam, thanks so much but i don't know if your freeze is relevant to me. please add your location to your i.d. so your posts will be valuable to us!
best,
mindy

Mindy:

I just checked the Weather Underground forecast for Winchester, MA and they have a Frost Advisory for you too.

Frost Advisory
Statement as of 5:23 PM EDT on May 09, 2010

... Frost advisory remains in effect from midnight tonight to 7 am
EDT Monday...

A frost advisory remains in effect from midnight tonight to 7 am
EDT Monday.

West to northwest winds will gust to between 30 and 35 mph for a
while this evening... and then diminish overnight.

The diminishing wind will allow for radiational cooling.
Temperatures will drop into the mid 30s... and frost will likely
develop overnight in sheltered areas a few miles back from the
immediate coast.

Cold temperatures are expected again during Monday night. Clear skies
and light winds in this cold air mass will allow temperatures to drop
into the lower or mid 30s Monday night. There is a strong possibility
of frost or freezing temperatures away from the immediate coast.

Precautionary/preparedness actions...

A frost advisory is issued when frost is expected to develop
during the growing season. Those with agricultural interests are
advised to harvest or protect tender vegetation. Also... potted
plants normally left outdoors should be covered or brought inside
away from the cold.

Claire

I'm in Southern NH, about a half hour north of the Mass border. It's supposed to be 32 tonight & 28 tomorrow night. I'm never quite sure what to do when frosts happen this late.

I brought in all the perennial seedlings I had set out to harden off. I used a heavy blanket to cover up the cold frame with the lettuce that's next in the rotation to go in the garden, the broccoli I decided not to plant this weekend, etc. If the flowering shrubs get shocked, I figure the worst that will happen is that the flowers will die.

But how about the baby herbs I went ahead and planted? I only planted the ones that are supposed to be tolerant of light frosts, but does that really apply when they are tiny seedlings? How about the hostas that were babies last year and are barely getting established?

My older, established perennials should be OK, right? And I know the lettuce in the garden is OK down to something crazy like 20 degrees? And sheesh, you couldn't upset the brussels sprouts.

Have lots of old blankets - how crazy with them do I need to go?

Thanks!

@mindy - Done. Thanks for suggesting.

Right now the wind up here is gusting very hard. It's blowing hard enough to make even putting tarps down difficult, and the tarps definitely wouldn't stay without some hefty rocks. Doesn't the wind (if it continues) prevent frost?

And, actually, after looking up an answer to a nagging question, I've found out that our low tonight is supposed to be 34 while our dew point is 24. Very dry air here. We've missed out on almost all of those great rains you all got last week, with the exception of Saturday. I guess that low dew point is why we don't have a frost advisory?