Winter sneezed in my yard last night. For those of us East of 75, the watch for frosts has begun. I stand by my belief that an overnight forecast of 45ยบ equals a frost at my house. This temperature took me a few years to figure out, but now I know when be prepared.
Suspect a frost the next day?
Water plants well during the day. The sun heats the water then helps keep plants warmer overnight.
Run drip irrigation overnight. Ground water is warmer than the air temperature.
Running sprinklers at/all night is chancy. It could warm the air to prevent a frost but it could also FREEZE and you will awaken to snow or ice on your plants.
Move sensitive potted plants up against the house (which radiates heat) or inside the garage.
Cover sensitive plants with frost blankets or sheets. See illustration below. Think tent. In a perfect world, the cover should not touch the plants. Consider tomato cages, PVC, or bamboo as a frame. The cover should be secured to the ground so the earth's heat can be sealed inside the "tent".
Do not use plastic bags or tarps over plants. The thin, plastic sheets make matters worse by freezing where it touches the plant.
String up (and light up) old fashioned incandescent holiday bulbs to help keep trees toasty.
Sensitive fruit tree trunks can be wrapped in tube insulation.
If you were considering mulching your trees, now might be the time to do it to "seal in" the moisture. Remember, no mulch should touch the trunk of the tree.
Afterward, don't prune what you think is frost damage from your trees until spring. You might be wrong.
Remove all covers daily as soon as the morning frost has melted and it has warmed up a bit.
