CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. (CLARKSVILLENOW) – Has your increased time at home equated to more time spent in your garden? Watch out, the next few days will bring near-freezing temps that could harm your veggies and flowers.
The impending cold snap is throwing aspiring gardeners into protection mode, as they scramble to cover their tender new plants.
If you have not planted yet, it may be best to wait until April 27 for some of your young transplants, according to the University of Tennessee Extension. In the Clarksville area, April 27, 2020 is considered the last potential for spring frost. Some varieties of plants and vegetables are not able to withstand the cold, near freezing temperatures overnight, even though the days may provide warmer weather.
Refer to your plants ‘cold hardiness’ when determining if you will need to cover them during potential frosts.
The Extension Office has provided a Home Vegetable Garden Calendar online for reference on recommend vegetable planting times as well. While some vegetables can withstand the cold, if direct seeded, it is best for root growth to wait on warm-season transplants.
Covering Plants
If you have plants that may be young, newly planted, or tender, consider covering them overnight. Cover the plants before dusk, to trap any of the stored heat from the ground.
Make sure your material extends to the ground, so heat cannot escape. In the morning, after frost has thawed, uncover the plants.
Covers do not have to be elaborate to work. Some possible covers for tender plants can include:
- bed sheets
- blankets
- drop cloths
- an inverted flower pot or bucket
- milk jugs with the bottom cut out
- newspapers
- hay
You can also take cardboard and tented stakes, and cover the plants if necessary.
Bring any potted plants indoors if possible.
READ MORE: Freeze warning in effect for early Wednesday morning in Clarksville