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| Photo Credit: Jennifer Manning |
| Save old pots and plastic containers – they’re great for protecting plants on frosty nights. |
As the days of early spring grow warmer, you’ll be rewarded by new plant growth peeking through the mulch. Or perhaps you can’t resist the first annuals at the garden center. But more often than not, those first much-enjoyed warm days will be interrupted by a few season-transitioning frosty nights. And unfortunately, a dip in temperature will put your tender new growth in jeopardy.
Luckily, protecting plants from cold damage can be accomplished in a variety of quick and easy ways. The key is to have your plants covered during the hours when frost develops. This critical period is from late night to early morning, when moisture on the plants can freeze. A good rule of thumb is to cover plants by 8 p.m. the night before a forecasted frost and uncover them by 8 a.m. the next morning. If a plant is injured by frost, damage will be noticeable within a few days. The plant growth will turn black, drop off or turn into “mush.” Sometimes new growth will reappear after a week or two, but in a lot of cases, you’ll just have to start over. | Add Photo to Journal |  | | Photo Credit: Jennifer Manning | | Old bed linens come in handy for covering up plants and protecting them from frost. |
Buckets and plastic plant pots are great for covering tender plants. Simply turn the bucket or container upside down and place it over the plant. (It’s a good idea to put a rock or brick on top of the container to keep it in place.) Next time you get a large plant or shrub in a black plastic pot, save it. These large containers come in handy for those frosty nights.
Save your old bed linens, too: They’re great for cover use, since they’re lightweight and won’t crush the plant. Place sheets loosely over plants, and use a stone or brick along the edges to keep the sheet from blowing off. (Sheets are also great for draping over blooming shrubs.) Newspaper and burlap work well, too, but obviously newspaper has a size limitation, and burlap may not be as readily available as old linens.
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