Frost Protection
Once again, Rubbermaid comes to the rescue. Everything you see is covering a plant. Some of it is bubblewrap draped, and that worked great too. All seem to have made it through the freezing tempertures last night. Thank Heaven!!!
We also used polyester batting. Doubled. And towels, and shower curtains and bedspreads. This is the second night we have had all of our plants covered with stuff. The first night it rained for hours, so yesterday afternoon I brought in all the fabric and batting and dried it, to replace it again last night. This morning the fabrics were stiff with ice, but still protecting the plants below. It was definitely worth the effort.
Ice Blobs on the surface.
Even my geraniums look OK. Things are a tiny bit bent if the covering was too small, but they will unfurl in a day or two. It will be back to the 70's by Friday.
clickThe 5 Knock-Out Roses are all perfect, but there is a tiny bit of droop on the Bleeding Heart. It is sturdy tho, and should be fine soon.
I am so relieved. All those plants that I just planted. Good thing I have more coleus seedlings in the potting shed. I couldn't save those.
Today we will uncover everything, and await the mail with our finished tax forms. My last year of employment. Hurray!
Hopefully this will be your last frost of the year.
ReplyDeleteBut do check with locals and see if spraying all plants with water before the freeze will do the same thing as covering them for a "little" freeze.
Sure is easier and that's what we do in FL.
But of course it's less exercise!Big Sis
I can remember having bunches of milk jugs (with the bottoms cut out) strung up on twine and hanging in my mother's shed, just waiting to be used for frost protection. It worked every time! We also had a huge pile of old blankets and sheets that we kept so we could cover the tomatoes during the first few heavy frosts of the fall season. Ah, good times! ;0)
ReplyDeleteYou're going to have to rename your blog Gardenmania.
ReplyDeleteThat rose is yummy. So glad you could save everything. Well, except the coleus....but they are cheap. It's the lost time of planting them.
ReplyDeleteI couldn't believe that they were starting up our sprinkling system today! All I can say is, if there's any damage done due to freezing temps I am NOT paying for it. Dummies. Don't they know this is Michigan for goodness sakes!
I avoided the PO today even tho I have a book I sold on Amazon to mail out. I was there yesterday for 20 minutes to mail out one package. I forgot the date. Yikes! I sure am glad I file electronically. The checks for taxes and estimates went in the mail yesterday so I am all done...until my big "rebate" check comes. What a joke.
teri
Good thing you have so many containers, in a situation like that I'd be hard pressed, but then I never plant before the 14th May when the chances of having frost is non-existent.
ReplyDeleteWe quite often get a frost here and we do nothing to cover plants and they all come through just fine. I think that if it can't survive a frost, I will let it go. It is amazing how well everything grows here in Portland. I love walking the neighborhood and the Rhodie Garden to see what is in bloom.
ReplyDelete