Gardening Tip :: Protecting Spring Plants from a Freeze

 

For most of the areas located in North or East Texas, the National Weather Service issued a freeze warning this morning. We may expect temperatures to dip for the next couple of nights and they could impact your newly planted flowers, vegetables or herbs.

Last week, the Junior Master Gardeners and I planted our Spring garden - tomatoes, cucumbers, squash, potatoes, herbs and more. Not wanting to see our newly planted garden freeze, we went out to cover each plant with a glass jar, otherwise known as a cloche.

A cloche is traditionally a bell-shaped glass jar, but any mason jar will do. You can even use milk jugs or buckets. For taller plants, a pillowcase may be used.

Whichever protectant covering you choose, make sure to have it secured from strong winds and in place prior to temperatures dropping. In the early morning, each cloche must be removed as plants can quickly become over heated. If there are several nights of potential freezing weather, the cloches must be replaced before temperatures fall and removed the following morning.