Frost and Freeze Protection in the Garden

[ChanellG]

A fee days ago I was able walk around in short sleeves and now the weather forecast is for freezing temperatures by morning! I'm worried the greenhouse won't keep enough heat, but now the shift in the weather being colder than expected means I have to worry about the frost tolerant plants outside the greenhouse as well.

We've been told to expect 12-15 hours of below freezing temperatures and there's a wine advisory as well from midnight to 9 am tomorrow. Of course, the crazy part is that it's only for a couple days and then it's going to warm up again.

I've been looking into different options for protection, including frost blankets, but I wasn't sure how well they actually work. What do the rest of you do (besides using a cold frame) to protect plants in a sudden cold snap?

 

[Chuck]

A fee days ago I was able walk around in short sleeves and now the weather forecast is for freezing temperatures by morning! I'm worried the greenhouse won't keep enough heat, but now the shift in the weather being colder than expected means I have to worry about the frost tolerant plants outside the greenhouse as well.

We've been told to expect 12-15 hours of below freezing temperatures and there's a wine advisory as well from midnight to 9 am tomorrow. Of course, the crazy part is that it's only for a couple days and then it's going to warm up again.

I've been looking into different options for protection, including frost blankets, but I wasn't sure how well they actually work. What do the rest of you do (besides using a cold frame) to protect plants in a sudden cold snap?

Above all do not use plastic. If you can go get a product called Nsulate. It is a type of fabric and just about any nursery will have it. If you can place newspapers over the plants first and then cover with the fabric. Bedsheets also will work but not nearly as good as the Nsulate.

 

[ChanellG]

Above all do not use plastic. If you can go get a product called Nsulate. It is a type of fabric and just about any nursery will have it. If you can place newspapers over the plants first and then cover with the fabric. Bedsheets also will work but not nearly as good as the Nsulate.

Thanks for the tip about the newspapers, Chuck. I was trying to think of something to use besides the bed sheets as they are so thin, but why no plastic? I wasn't planning on putting it directly on the plants.

 

[Chuck]

Thanks for the tip about the newspapers, Chuck. I was trying to think of something to use besides the bed sheets as they are so thin, but why no plastic? I wasn't planning on putting it directly on the plants.

If plastic does not touch the plant it is ok

 

[ChanellG]

I'm off to scrounge some newspaper!

 

[ChanellG]

I peeked out front my home this morning (temps in the low 30s) and lots of plants went unprotected on my block. An aloe on the front porch is barely effected despite the fact that I found a layer of ice in a bucket of water I thought had been dumped out. When

I checked my greenhouse later in the morning the temp was only 40F, but still warmer than the air temp outside at the time. The plants look great, and only one of the plants outside of it that I covered because there was no more room in the greenhouse seems to have damage. (The wind blew the cover partially off.)

I made a makeshift heater for the greenhouse with a chipped terra cotta pot over a jar candle and held in place by bricks.