The First HARD Freeze

• Posted on 17 November 2022
• 0

Weekend before Thanksgiving Sale; all deciduous trees* 20% off!

We've had a bit of frosty conditions. Most locations have experienced a HARD freeze. This weekend promises to be more of the same. Forecast temperatures: Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights are forecast to be in the low-20’s, possibly upper teens. This should not be cause for extreme alarm. We have had enough cold weather to send plants into complete dormancy. You might still have tropicals in containers outdoors; they have surely already turned to mush unless you have taken prior action. If a plant was going to freeze out anyway, there's no real urgency. It's just a lot easier to extract living plants out of a container as opposed to slimy ones. It is probably a good idea to survey your outdoor areas, and deal with whatever might create an issue, before successive HARD freeze nights occur.

If you have an irrigation system, it certainly must be drained. It's also a good idea if you have garden hoses that are coiled up, to string them out fully and drain all water out before you re-coil them. This process should be replicated throughout the winter every time you use your hoses.

If you have any cool harvest items such as lettuce, broccoli, cauliflower, or possibly Brussels sprouts, you either need to pick the remaining harvest, or construct a greenhouse. It is probably easier to do the former, rather than the latter. I'm not saying that a cold frame greenhouse is not a good thing. Cold frame greenhouses are excellent for extending the season by providing protection through the cold nights. A temporary structure can be easily and inexpensively constructed using PVC pipe and clear plastic, available at most home stores.

The great thing about trees and shrubs is that cold weather is really welcome this time of year. Now fully dormant you can't get a better time to plant…especially trees; no quantity restrictions! Through the end of business on November 23rd, BatesRewards members get 20% off all deciduous trees*...excluding Japanese maples.

David Bates

*Japanese maples are excluded. In-store purchases only.