Five Things to Do to Protect Plants from Frost

By Wendy Erlein

Although it’s late April, and the spring season officially arrived more than a month ago, northern New Jersey is under a freeze warning, while the remainder of the state is under a freeze watch.

Here are a few ideas of how to protect your plants from the freeze from master gardener Marilyn Arlund.

• Decide which flowers and/or vegetables are the most important ones to “save” during a frost. “Most tender plants will succumb to the freezing temperatures while others will hang on until the temperatures dip into the mid 20’s and we experience a freeze,” Arnlund said. Consider letting straggly or non-producing plants go for the season.

• Cover plants with sheets, light blankets or other coverings. Smaller plants can be covered with pails, tubs, or milk jugs with the bottom cut off. “You can also put old shower curtains, tarps or unfolded newspapers over your plants to protect them,” Arnlund offers. Take covers off in the morning to expose the plants to sun. If you added more mulch, wait a few days to remove it to make sure the frost threat is over.

• Group plants together, adding mulch on top of the soil in plant beds or containers to keep the soil warm. Add stakes in the containers or beds to create a tent so the ground won’t loose too much heat and plants aren’t touching coverings that have a frost buildup.

• Water plants thoroughly, using care to not splash water on leaves or plant base. Water deeply to keep the ground moist.

• Overwinter your favorite tender flowers before the frost. “There are many ways to do this, but I have taken stem cuttings that will fit on my windowsill to overwinter, Arnlund said, stating she has “successfully” kept coleus cutting throughout the winter. “Just make sure you wash the plants well to remove potential insect pests.”

Editor’s note: A freeze warning means sub-freezing temperatures are imminent or highly likely, according to the National Weather Service, and the conditions could kill crops and “other sensitive vegetation.”