Freeze Warning Overnight for Putnam County

It may be April 15 but that doesn't mean you should leave those seedlings out tonight.

The National Weather Service has issued a Freeze Warning for Putnam County for early tomorrow morning:

• Freeze Warning in effect from April 16, 04:00 AM EDT until April 16, 08:00 AM EDT

Those conditions will kill crops and other sensitive vegetation, the NWS warns. Not a good spring for fruit trees.

• Protect Tender Sprouts: Cover tender plants overnight with an inverted bucket or flower pot, or with a layer of mulch. Be sure to uncover them in the morning when the temperature rises above freezing.
• Cover Shrubs and Trees: Larger plants can be covered with fabric, old bed sheets, burlap, or commercial frost cloths (avoid using plastic). For best results, drape the cover over a frame to keep it from touching the foliage. Fabric covers help to trap heat from the soil, so make sure your cover drapes to the ground. Uncover them in the morning when the temperature rises above freezing.
• Assess Losses: Hardy perennials, trees, and shrubs may recover from a late spring freeze, even if visibly damaged. Their blooms and fruit may be lost for the year, but once they begin actively growing you’ll be able to determine and remove any permanent damage to stems and branches. Frost-tender plants will not recover at all, so avoid planting them until you’re confident that freezing weather has passed.