The beautiful season of spring is finally here for us in central North Carolina, but unfortunately, we do have an occasional frost that could cause devastation to our vegetable plants and delicate flowers. But don’t worry, Garden Valley has got you covered with 3 ways you can protect your plants from a cold frost:
A little information first- A frost would be considered to happen between 28 and 32 degrees F. And as a general rule, most plants (tomatoes, annual flowers, watermelon, etc) will need to be covered unless they are cold tolerant, especially if they are starting to bloom.
3 ways to protect plants from frost
1. Cover with a breathable fabric.
Covering your plants with a breathable cloth like material will allow moisture to escape and not suffocate your plant like a plastic material would. You could use blankets, bed sheets, and even pillow cases for those small plants.
HOW? Just place a tall stake or stick throughout the area and cover. This will help keep the plant in tact and allows for room between the material and the plant. After all, we don’t want to crush our plants in the process, do we?
2. Cover with mulch/straw/leaves
Covering the soil around your plants with a mulch-like substance will help to regulate the swinging temperatures of the soil and keep prevent “shocking” your root system from the bitter cold. At least 3” of mulch, straw, or leaves should suffice.
3. Cover seedlings/small plants with a glass or cloche
Covering your smaller plants with a glass like material will help to keep the heat in but also allow for the sun to shine through.
HOW? Just cover your plant right before the sun goes down, and then uncover them when the temperature finally raises above freezing.
FROM GARDEN VALLEY:
Hopefully these tips will help you and your plants make it through the next few weeks before the temperatures stay above freezing. And we hope that they also help keep you planting better, eating better, and living better.
We would love to see how you keep your plants safe during the frost! Don’t forget to tag us on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok! We can’t wait to see! @gardenvalleyfarmersmarket
