Ready or Not, here comes the cold

In last weeks post, we told you the average date for the first freeze in San Antonio is November 28th.  Well, we are likely to see that first freeze several weeks earlier than average.  As the cold front has moved in and settled in SA this week, it has gotten colder every day with possible freezing temperatures tonight.

So as everyone else is running to the grocery store for milk and bread, you should get your plants ready.  If you have plants in containers, you should pull them inside the garage tonight.  That should keep them warm enough.  For your other frost sensitive plants, you should go out and cover them with an old sheet or burlap sheet.

November Checklist

Now that November has rolled in, it is important to know that the first freeze is predicted around November 28th in San Antonio.  That leaves only a few weeks to get your plants cold weather protected!

What can you do to protect your garden from frost?
1.  Mulch, Mulch, Mulch - mulching all landscape plantings and the garden is a standard cold-protection technique.  It helps insulate the root systems of all your plants.  It also traps soil warmth built up during the growing season and preserves any soil moisture.

2.  Move container grown plants into the garage or even indoors to protect them.

3.  When a heavy freeze is predicted, cover any freeze-sensitive plants at dusk after the soil and plants have absorbed the sun's heat; covering the plants traps the radiating heat. 

4.  Don't use plastic coverings or sheets to cover your plants!  Better choices include large cardboard boxes, thick wool blankets or bubblewrap.  Make sure the covering goes all the way to the ground to trap the heat.

5.  Uncover plants when the temperature rises above freezing to let the plant processes resume normal function - don't keep them covered all winter - they will suffocate!