freak weather is never fun to a gardener. But there are some things that you can do to prevent damage from frost or freezing weather to reduce your damage.
Im so glad there’s a RUclips Gardner out there who is sharing my current pain right now! This snow is really putting a damper on everything! Thanks for this!
Freaking out here north of Toronto 😳🌨️ My gardens were looking so beautiful now it's a combination of bamboo and old sheets, upsidedown pots, Frost cloth. Hydrangeas and young trees wrapped. My plastic greenhouse has a small space heater in it on a timer. It's FULL of plants that were in the process of hardening off. There is also an old quilt on the roof. Good luck to everyone over the next 2 nights.
I wish you would have walked us through your garden and showed what you covered and how. Don't get me wrong, you give great information and are very good at explaining each method and I appreciate it all. It's just nice to actually see the methods in use so we can make a visual connection
You want to buy garden fleece and cover the plants in the ground with it. Either directly, or make low tunnels and use the fleece as the covering. UV treated greenhouse plastic work better but they are expensive. For isolated plants you can cover them with garden fleece and put a 5 gallon bucket over that. For trees, wrap the whole thing with fleece. Double layering the fleece might be a good idea to give a bit of security against the wind chills.
Covered most of my garden with a variety of fleece, greenhouse plastic, whatever I could find that wasn't too heavy, even gathered up all my containers that have been potted up and covered them with plastic in a sheltered spot. They'll be hanging out in their tents until Friday. Ready for spring!!!
This happened last year in indiana in may. Blackberry winter. Remember. You get dogwood winter, redbud winter and blackberry winter. Get out those sheets baby!
Robert Frost wrote a poem for such occasions, called: Good-By and Keep Cold. I have memorized it. "How often already have you had to be told? Good-by, young orchard. Good -by and keep cold. Dread fifty above more than fifty below!"
I have always appreciated your sense of humor Luke. I Enjoy the knowledge you share and I have learned much. I also very much appreciate your infectious joyful attitude, which is a blessing on a whole different level. Thanks for sharing.
We had a navel orange tree on a hillside in an area that got freezing temperatures in the winter. We draped it with old style incandescent Christmas lights and turned on the lights when it got cold. The lights generated enough heat to protect the tree. The other thing we did was run a sprinkler underneath the tree. There was some water buildup on the tree but the primary thing was the temperature of the water was above 32° and it radiated that warmer temperature out up over the tree. Both methods were very successful.
Thanks Luke! I'm in Barrie, ON and have clear plastic bins over my lettuce and fleece over my peas. As tempted as I was to put out my peppers and tomatoes, I knew the nice weather was too good to be true. I'm glad my warm weather things are happy under the grow lights still. We're expecting snow tonight and tomorrow. So hard to wait!
Thanks Luke! 💜 I found a set of flannel sheets at a secondhand store a few years back. They're great in the garden! By the time I need them, the garden is done with them.☺️
I'm in northern Ohio.. feel both your pain. Im like 2 hrs from ya haha. Everything's inside still, covered my blackberry and raspberries last night with tarp and held down with rocks
Very timely! This season is ridiculous... hot for weeks, then snow and freezing... lol. Same here, near Ottawa, Ontario. Spring is here. Let’s plant already!! 🥷🪴🙌
Just moved 20 5 gallon grow bags full of hundreds of plants, indoors for the night... They can spend the night inside with their 2,000+ seedlings on the growing rack - growing like crazy, waiting for the last frost to pass ;-)
Yup, I was going to put out my plants two weeks ago but something stayed my hand. Then a freaking blizzard hit a couple days ago, whiteout conditions for a couple hours. Unbelievable! I'm so thankful I waited. Of course, my plant room looks like a jungle right now... Lol!
I worked all day until 11pm tonight to make hoop tunnels for 5 raise beds. I had to cut 25 PEX pieces and bought 100 ft of plastic and used clips that i got in the mail yesterday - just in time! No snow here in Holland, MI.
We are really worried about this freeze tonight! Where were you when it was still light out? 😱.....🤣😂. We are worried about our potatoes and carrots....gave them a quick cover but.....😱 These are great tips! Thanks for sharing!
The carrots should be fine. Ours did well even at 28. The potatoes might come back even if they initially die. It's happened to us before and we were pleasantly surprised. Just means later harvest.
Tennessee is very crazy this year. I'm not planting my peppers and tomatoes out until May. I just don't trust the weather here. So I will be covering the brambles, blueberries, and the hydrangeas. My fruit trees are on their own...sorry figs, but at least I will get a second harvest from you...I can't say that from my peaches. My kiwis still haven't flowered so I'm sure they'll bounce back. they already started doing so from the last time. The elderberries seem to be unaffected by the cold snaps too.
Thank you for reminding us to enjoy the garden . This time of year there is always a bit of stress and anxiety to prep the beds, weed, compost, plant and sow seeds. 💕💕💕 once it's all in and growing well that is when I relax and take it all in.
So much snow down here in Indy. I don’t plant until well after frost, but I’m so sad for the orchards again this year. Praying they are able to salvage more than last year.
My plants are still in the cold frame so I hope they will be OK. The only thing that I might lose are my greengage plums. They were just flowering and they are too tall to try to protect them. Just so grateful that I didn't have anything in the ground yet since it really has been too cold and wet here. Hope everyone's garden pulls through.
We have a younger cherry tree with just a few blooms about 5’ tall... added a tomato cage and used a gutter heater cable wrapped around the cage. Topped with a tarp and plugged it in when temp reached freezing mark and off first thing in morning. Outside temps in low 20’s. Seems to be working great! Added a remote thermometer underneath the tarp so we can monitor temps. Sure looking forward to fresh cherries this summer!
I'm up in Nova Scotia so I basically just assume we're only getting 2-3 months of summer. I guess, in a way, expecting it can save you trouble. I still even have my cold weather crops indoors under lights right now.
We grow lettuce, spinach, chard and garlic under clear plastic tubs all winter. These were started spring, summer or fall. On nice days, we open tubs for awhile. Keep them closed at night. This is using a cold frame basically. That way in the early spring you can pick it. Also, we start summer plants in kitchen and put out in breezeway on warmer days for more light in daytime. Next, we harden them off outside. My dad used to plant seeds in an old, dirt filled well. He covered them with old windows. On cold nights, he put a very thick blanket over this. He marked the seeds off in the well with straight milk carton sides. Labelled them so he knew what was what. Daytime warmth if able to take off blanket, would help them germinate and grow . He gave plants to neighbors when they were about 6 inches tall. Wrapped them in newspaper and dipped them in water. He loved helping the neighbors. Gardening is a never ending learning experience and especially one in how to be adaptable.
Thank you so much for sharing all these different ways to save our plants from frost. I'm working a 24 hr shift and didn't hear about the heavy Frost coming tonight. Oh well it's just a few petunias,
It is heartening to see people who are sharing my pain today. Had been watching the forecast hoping it’ll change but nope, it’s Michigan, right?! I didn’t want to get out of bed to look outside! @MIgardener you voiced my sentiments at the beginning of your video 😆 Covered my Japanese maples and Stewartia tree with frost blankets. Maybe I’ll put a bedsheet on them tonight. Learnt it the hard way last year. I have peonies that were budding up which will be ruined now, daffodils are all gone. 😰😰
I covered most I have put out or has come up here in Kansas last night but haven't put my starts out yet! Thank goodness. And yes! Crazy cold wind for part of today but warmed a bit. Yes. If you can? cover. Love your video's. Thanks Luke.
I'm in Cleveland on the lake shore, my supposed last frost date was yesterday 🙄 I loaded everything I could into the shed. Everything else is a brassica, carrots and parsnips. My peas are under tomatoe cages and I covered them with plastic. 🤞🤞
Ughhh I feel your pain! I’m in MA! Very similar weather too MI. I just ordered some more last minute seeds from the website! Including a mystery pack, which I’m super excited about! Can’t wait too see what that ends up being!🤗🌱
Ran n covered all I could. Totally agree this is for the birds! Snow 3 to 4 inches expected tonight & 60 by weekend. We shall see...what the outcome is. Although I only have cold weather crops but not sure they hold up to lake effect heavy wet snow. Great end message. A garden is a garden & expect some bumps on the way!
Thank you for the info and comfort! I feel for my tomatoes and peppers! Low is ~34F. I covered them and left some water bottles with warm/hot water around the plants.
It’s amazing what mulch can do covering a plant. I overwintered a pineapple plant and a small orange plant here in Alabama by covering the plants in mulch. And now they are growing just fine here this summer. I’ll mulch again when winter hits
I live in Indiana and this is definitely odd weather for mid April, but I know it’s too early to get to excited about warm weather sticking around. Mother’s Day for us is a good time to plant warm weather plants
We've already mowed our yard twice! I don't ever remember having a hard last frost like this b4! So glad I was behind in transplanting out my seedlings! Come on spring give us garden weather!!😂🥰👩🌾
Incredible. Thank you!! I'm in southern Calif where freezes are few and far between. Yet, last week late night Temps got down to 27 degrees and killed half my outdoor plants. Tomrw night another freek event...26 degrees. So I will now cover the fragile plants with sheets. And on the tropical plumeria tree, I'll stash some flashlights near the main stem and roots. Will cross my fingers. Thx so much for the great tips for last minute.
Good info. I also am having the same problems I found some large 80gal white plastic barrels on Facebook a while back I picked up about 30 of them for free I use these to put upside down over the plants and smaller trees for the entire winter. Works Great and keeps them going longer in the season. Just have to make sure to prop them up a little on warmer days so they don't get smothered out.
Wonderful! A guy from Michigan who understands our pain! Thanks for the tips buddy! I'm an old gal who loves flowers, mostly in pots. Trying my hand with veggies this spring also mostly potted. I scrimp all year to have lots O bucks for my plants, one of my passions! Hoping the poor FRA GEE LEES will recover from their shock. Gonna start following you for more tips, old dogs can learn new tricks, Ha!
love your vids! I'm obsessed. I'm in Brantford Ontario dealing with the same weather as u. I wasn't worried about the spinach but I just checked and the snow slid off the garage and has been landing on my little spinaches, hopefully not completely crushed!
Yay for this video as we now have snow coming and below zero tomorrow night and we just planted everything.. the weather was 30 f..amd we have strawberries blooming now too ha time to use your tips
PVC tube frame over my raised beds with 6 mil clear plastic will work for me. You can also place incandescent Christmas light strings under your coverings to gain more protection against a freeze. The millenial gardener did a RUclips video on this.
We’re fed up too!!! In Ohio here and was soooo disappointed with the snow when we woke up this morning . We just want to get stuff in the ground soon and we’re still dealing with these cold temps and winter weather! Grrr..
Thank you for this! Florida here. Coldest temp in 8 years this weekend. Flight mode for my tomatoes it is. Gonna try fire barrel for my fruit trees they are flowering and some have already set fruit. I'm with you, this sucks! Thank you for the advice♥️
Thank you so much! We've been having summer type days for a month - then of course on April 15th which is supposed to be our last frost date one week later we have snow! 🤦♀️
I am using whatever I can find to cover my plants. I put out mulch and a few buckets. I know it’s not the best to use but my plants are to big to bring inside. I am glad I have extras indoors. I am so tired of the cold but the hot days of summer are around the corner.
I made a green house over my 4x4 bed that had tomatoes, peppers and beans in it. Covered it with a canvas drop cloth. We’ll see if it makes it through this snap. I am not going to peek until it warms up. Maybe a menorah is called for...a little heat plus a little faith. Should be in the 30’s tonight. Thanks for the pep talk Luke.
I did something similar. Filled some gallon jugs with hot water, set one next to the plant I want to protect, mostly buried them in straw much and covered with a sheet. I'm hoping my tomatoes survive this way. Gonna have several hours below freezing tonight.
Well he better be careful or his wonderful gardener wife may not wish to share her beautiful garden with him after she successfully saves it! Hehe! :-)
Yes the false spring was a surprise. Being from Michigan hedge bets. When I set plants out early I have back up in green house . Yes I leave the light on in green house at night and in garden put a sheet of plastic with a trouble light under it at night. I just plan for a false spring and watch weather forecast. It will warm up, thanks for the tips
Yep two years ago I dug up EVERYTHING in November as the freezes kept coming and a hard freezing rain was hitting and my sheets and buckets weren't cutting it any more. I got like thirty to fifty containers at dollar tree and was up all night in freezing rain hauling my entire garden indoors! If I was younger and stronger this would've worked well for everything but you must now treat them all like container plants which is a bit different and I ran out of windows, but it could work, I also had no indoor lighting and couldn't afford it, I had to borrow money to buy the dollar tree containers. So I was able to baby a couple things, I was growing mostly to learn my first year so.. It was OK after the tears were gone... But I had two broccoli plants that made a tiny misshapen broccoli but, but I cut it off as it withered, but I kept those two plants all winter, into next year and still now they're looking dead for neglect but I had no idea broccoli could live two years, now mine was so neglected it withered a few times, I prayed and watered them and their dry withered leaves would slowly regenerate after a few days. The one plant weaved like a vine on my window, the other did similar. I wanted to get videos of them but was living in such torturous pain last year especially, I just couldn't, sry. I might try getting them on my next video even if dead, you'll see how long they got and how resilient they are!! I was amazed! I'm wondering now what broccoli would do in the wild if left unharvested. I'm experimenting with plants that way, like potatoes and garlic... What if you don't harvest them!? Well my garlic came back and is very strong looking!! I also showed in my last video, the garlic that bolted, going to seed, the capers I think everyone calls them, well I cut my garlic capers and saved them. They are like seeds, so you grow them and the video I watched has you digging them up every season to replant, but garlic is strong, why not leave them in the ground!? So that's my next experiment, I'll make a video showing you what I mean 😊 God bless and speak life over your plants 🙏🌱🥀🌻💐🍯💕🤗🏵️🌱💪😃👍💯🌻
these "freak freezes" are starting to become more routine with each passing year it feels like! i dont even try fruit trees because more often than not one of these freezes waits to come along after everything has already blossomed out, like clockwork. Thankfully all i have in the ground so far are my peas, potatoes, and brassicas. So the only thing i really need to worry about are my haskap and blueberry bushes.
It's good to know what stage your growth buds are at as to how much protection is needed. Like having tight barely swelling growth buds will survive frost but already leafed out growth buds need protection
Im so glad there’s a RUclips Gardner out there who is sharing my current pain right now! This snow is really putting a damper on everything! Thanks for this!
Great work !! ❤️ from 🇺🇸
In Minnesota any warm weather that happens before May 1st is called "fake spring".
lol yup
Spring of deception
Faux spring.
I'm in Michigan zone 5 and I call it False Spring, we have one every year.
Minnesota has two seasons; winter and bug season... and they both bite!
Freaking out here north of Toronto 😳🌨️ My gardens were looking so beautiful now it's a combination of bamboo and old sheets, upsidedown pots, Frost cloth. Hydrangeas and young trees wrapped. My plastic greenhouse has a small space heater in it on a timer. It's FULL of plants that were in the process of hardening off. There is also an old quilt on the roof. Good luck to everyone over the next 2 nights.
Think I will put a blanket on the roof of my greenhouse also. It is small but absolutely jammed with plants!
Thanks
I feel your pain in Montreal,QC.
Feel your pain in Niagara Falls with 7 inches of snow!
@@FloraM44 ugh that bites‼️
Consider cheap, flannel-backed table cloths at thrift/ dollar stores.
Frost! A gardeners worst nightmare! My pear trees. . . 🍐 😫 I admire your stiff upper lip! Thank you for sharing your tips. Great information! 👍
“I am sick of it” 😂😂😂 you’re funny even in the hard times.
I wish you would have walked us through your garden and showed what you covered and how. Don't get me wrong, you give great information and are very good at explaining each method and I appreciate it all. It's just nice to actually see the methods in use so we can make a visual connection
You want to buy garden fleece and cover the plants in the ground with it. Either directly, or make low tunnels and use the fleece as the covering. UV treated greenhouse plastic work better but they are expensive.
For isolated plants you can cover them with garden fleece and put a 5 gallon bucket over that. For trees, wrap the whole thing with fleece.
Double layering the fleece might be a good idea to give a bit of security against the wind chills.
Covered most of my garden with a variety of fleece, greenhouse plastic, whatever I could find that wasn't too heavy, even gathered up all my containers that have been potted up and covered them with plastic in a sheltered spot. They'll be hanging out in their tents until Friday. Ready for spring!!!
This happened last year in indiana in may. Blackberry winter. Remember. You get dogwood winter, redbud winter and blackberry winter. Get out those sheets baby!
I needed this 4 hours ago
@The Daily Vegan I actually went out in the dark and covered what i could🤞🤞🤞🌱🌱🌱💜💙💚💙💜
Same lmao it snowed 5 cms where I live lol and I was swimming last sweet lol
Me too 😂😂...😥
Hahaha right!!
You must live in NH
THANK YOU! Just fretting about what to do for tomorrow night’s freeze and you showed up in my youtube alerts! 💚
Me too
Robert Frost wrote a poem for such occasions, called: Good-By and Keep Cold. I have memorized it. "How often already have you had to be told? Good-by, young orchard. Good -by and keep cold. Dread fifty above more than fifty below!"
I have always appreciated your sense of humor Luke. I Enjoy the knowledge you share and I have learned much. I also very much appreciate your infectious joyful attitude, which is a blessing on a whole different level. Thanks for sharing.
We had a navel orange tree on a hillside in an area that got freezing temperatures in the winter. We draped it with old style incandescent Christmas lights and turned on the lights when it got cold. The lights generated enough heat to protect the tree. The other thing we did was run a sprinkler underneath the tree. There was some water buildup on the tree but the primary thing was the temperature of the water was above 32° and it radiated that warmer temperature out up over the tree. Both methods were very successful.
Thanks Luke! I'm in Barrie, ON and have clear plastic bins over my lettuce and fleece over my peas. As tempted as I was to put out my peppers and tomatoes, I knew the nice weather was too good to be true. I'm glad my warm weather things are happy under the grow lights still. We're expecting snow tonight and tomorrow. So hard to wait!
I live in southwest Florida and have never seen snow, but still watched. 😄
Thank you for being specific in your video titles! It makes it easy to search and find exactly what I need in your videos.
Thanks Luke! 💜
I found a set of flannel sheets at a secondhand store a few years back. They're great in the garden! By the time I need them, the garden is done with them.☺️
It’s the same here in Scotland.. I put my sweetpeas out on Sunday as they seemed ready !.. Great video Thankyou very much 👍🏻..
Welcome to Michigan😂😂😂😂. Winter is either here or coming. I'm in Detroit so I understand your pain.
I'm in northern Ohio.. feel both your pain. Im like 2 hrs from ya haha. Everything's inside still, covered my blackberry and raspberries last night with tarp and held down with rocks
@@kyleguy2305. I have been too scared to look at my onions and cabbage. I'm happy that held off from planting the radish.
I’m in Detroit too are you gardening?
@@denisechavis4820 Yes
In detroit also. Put everything in garage. Snow peas in ground. Hope they survive
You are such a positive person! Thank you Luke!
Living in Southern Ontario, I know I can come to this channel and have my own thoughts validated!
Timely video!!! Thanks!! I was just looking at our temps here in Chattanooga, TN.
"You can wrap a bike with gift paper, but everyone knows it's a bike" 🤣 I've never understood that either!
Very timely! This season is ridiculous... hot for weeks, then snow and freezing... lol. Same here, near Ottawa, Ontario. Spring is here. Let’s plant already!! 🥷🪴🙌
Just moved 20 5 gallon grow bags full of hundreds of plants, indoors for the night...
They can spend the night inside with their 2,000+ seedlings on the growing rack - growing like crazy, waiting for the last frost to pass ;-)
It snowed in Missouri... was supposed to be putting my plants out.... OMG!!!!!
we live in far south central Missouri and have peaches and apples on the trees! and yes; the snow and frost is everywhere!!!!
Yup, I was going to put out my plants two weeks ago but something stayed my hand. Then a freaking blizzard hit a couple days ago, whiteout conditions for a couple hours. Unbelievable! I'm so thankful I waited. Of course, my plant room looks like a jungle right now... Lol!
You read my mind Luke!!!!! Already covered my little plant babies!
I worked all day until 11pm tonight to make hoop tunnels for 5 raise beds. I had to cut 25 PEX pieces and bought 100 ft of plastic and used clips that i got in the mail yesterday - just in time! No snow here in Holland, MI.
I made those out of hula hoops from the dollar store a few years ago =)
I used some 5 gallon buckets upside-down. 👍
This is Michigan, everyone has told me that, since I moved to this country!
That’s what we say in New England too 🤦♀️
I'm with you in Southeast Michigan. I just finished cleaning my car off and taking pictures. Thank you for the hints. Getting my burn barrel out
Gosh, the snow in S.E. MI was crazy! Glad I have cool loving plants planted only.
We are really worried about this freeze tonight! Where were you when it was still light out? 😱.....🤣😂. We are worried about our potatoes and carrots....gave them a quick cover but.....😱
These are great tips! Thanks for sharing!
The carrots should be fine. Ours did well even at 28. The potatoes might come back even if they initially die. It's happened to us before and we were pleasantly surprised. Just means later harvest.
Georgi Carter Thanks so much!! We really appreciate it! Fingers crossed!
Literally every time I have a question you have an excellent video with the answer! THANK YOU!
At 8:30pm, I uprooted my peppers, tomatoes, and tomatillos, after I found out last minute it was going to snow over night here in Nashville.
Uprooting is very harsh on plants. Next time buy some garden fleece and cover the plants with it instead.
Tennessee is very crazy this year. I'm not planting my peppers and tomatoes out until May. I just don't trust the weather here. So I will be covering the brambles, blueberries, and the hydrangeas. My fruit trees are on their own...sorry figs, but at least I will get a second harvest from you...I can't say that from my peaches. My kiwis still haven't flowered so I'm sure they'll bounce back. they already started doing so from the last time. The elderberries seem to be unaffected by the cold snaps too.
@@dukeman8481 I’ll keep that in mind.
Thank you for reminding us to enjoy the garden . This time of year there is always a bit of stress and anxiety to prep the beds, weed, compost, plant and sow seeds. 💕💕💕 once it's all in and growing well that is when I relax and take it all in.
So much snow down here in Indy. I don’t plant until well after frost, but I’m so sad for the orchards again this year. Praying they are able to salvage more than last year.
My plants are still in the cold frame so I hope they will be OK. The only thing that I might lose are my greengage plums. They were just flowering and they are too tall to try to protect them. Just so grateful that I didn't have anything in the ground yet since it really has been too cold and wet here. Hope everyone's garden pulls through.
Ok, you guys can take your heat back now. We borrowed it up in Washington State for the last week and a half and I don't like it. 😁
I live in Michigan...i used clear plastic boxes to cover my peas, garlic and radishes. I needed your video yesterday before 5pm...lol.
We have a younger cherry tree with just a few blooms about 5’ tall... added a tomato cage and used a gutter heater cable wrapped around the cage. Topped with a tarp and plugged it in when temp reached freezing mark and off first thing in morning. Outside temps in low 20’s. Seems to be working great! Added a remote thermometer underneath the tarp so we can monitor temps. Sure looking forward to fresh cherries this summer!
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS VIDEO!!!
I'm up in Nova Scotia so I basically just assume we're only getting 2-3 months of summer. I guess, in a way, expecting it can save you trouble. I still even have my cold weather crops indoors under lights right now.
We grow lettuce, spinach, chard and garlic under clear plastic tubs all winter. These were started spring, summer or fall. On nice days, we open tubs for awhile. Keep them closed at night. This is using a cold frame basically. That way in the early spring you can pick it.
Also, we start summer plants in kitchen and put out in breezeway on warmer days for more light in daytime. Next, we harden them off outside. My dad used to plant seeds in an old, dirt filled well. He covered them with old windows. On cold nights, he put a very thick blanket over this. He marked the seeds off in the well with straight milk carton sides. Labelled them so he knew what was what. Daytime warmth if able to take off blanket, would help them germinate and grow . He gave plants to neighbors when they were about 6 inches tall. Wrapped them in newspaper and dipped them in water. He loved helping the neighbors. Gardening is a never ending learning experience and especially one in how to be adaptable.
Thank you so much for sharing all these different ways to save our plants from frost. I'm working a 24 hr shift and didn't hear about the heavy Frost coming tonight. Oh well it's just a few petunias,
I used burlap, portable green house and frost sheets for tonight. I didn’t think of sheets but I’m definitely going to try that out next time.
❤️ Thank you. My garden will survive.
Freak occurrence? Hah, this has happened 2 years in a row here in Colorado, sadly.
Yeah it was 17 degree in Colorado Springs last night. It always snows in April.
@@laurieleeanne true, but the warm snaps of 70⁰-80⁰days in march/april have been truly freak occurrences.
Yup! Happened in Michigan last year too.
And may and june...lol
Another freal frost advisory!!!! Thanks for helping me through this.
It is heartening to see people who are sharing my pain today. Had been watching the forecast hoping it’ll change but nope, it’s Michigan, right?! I didn’t want to get out of bed to look outside!
@MIgardener you voiced my sentiments at the beginning of your video 😆
Covered my Japanese maples and Stewartia tree with frost blankets. Maybe I’ll put a bedsheet on them tonight. Learnt it the hard way last year. I have peonies that were budding up which will be ruined now, daffodils are all gone. 😰😰
the attitude is gratitude!
I covered most I have put out or has come up here in Kansas last night but haven't put my starts out yet! Thank goodness. And yes! Crazy cold wind for part of today but warmed a bit. Yes. If you can? cover. Love your video's. Thanks Luke.
I'm in Cleveland on the lake shore, my supposed last frost date was yesterday 🙄 I loaded everything I could into the shed. Everything else is a brassica, carrots and parsnips. My peas are under tomatoe cages and I covered them with plastic. 🤞🤞
We went around with bed sheets this afternoon!
Thank you! We have a frost coming. We have blueberries and peaches that I would really like to make it! I’m praying they do!
Ughhh I feel your pain! I’m in MA! Very similar weather too MI. I just ordered some more last minute seeds from the website! Including a mystery pack, which I’m super excited about! Can’t wait too see what that ends up being!🤗🌱
Thanks for the info...very much needed!
This was very good information, thank you!
Thank you for making this video!
Wishing you all the best of luck getting your hard work through this cold weather. 🤞🏽🤞🏽
Nashville today:
70's during day
❄ tonight
Ran n covered all I could. Totally agree this is for the birds! Snow 3 to 4 inches expected tonight & 60 by weekend. We shall see...what the outcome is. Although I only have cold weather crops but not sure they hold up to lake effect heavy wet snow.
Great end message. A garden is a garden & expect some bumps on the way!
Heh heh. I'm not sure the birds really want this weather either.😋
Thank you for the info and comfort! I feel for my tomatoes and peppers! Low is ~34F. I covered them and left some water bottles with warm/hot water around the plants.
Great tips, Luke!
I am in Michigan too. I planted some hollyhocks, dahlias & gladiolus bulb just 2 days before this spring snow/frost. Hope they survive🤞
It’s amazing what mulch can do covering a plant. I overwintered a pineapple plant and a small orange plant here in Alabama by covering the plants in mulch. And now they are growing just fine here this summer. I’ll mulch again when winter hits
I live in Indiana and this is definitely odd weather for mid April, but I know it’s too early to get to excited about warm weather sticking around. Mother’s Day for us is a good time to plant warm weather plants
We've already mowed our yard twice! I don't ever remember having a hard last frost like this b4! So glad I was behind in transplanting out my seedlings! Come on spring give us garden weather!!😂🥰👩🌾
I feel your pain! Same situation here!
Thanks Luke. Looks like the peas are getting a cover tonight.
Thank you for the information and encouragement
Dang... needed this about 5 hours ago
Incredible. Thank you!! I'm in southern Calif where freezes are few and far between. Yet, last week late night Temps got down to 27 degrees and killed half my outdoor plants. Tomrw night another freek event...26 degrees. So I will now cover the fragile plants with sheets. And on the tropical plumeria tree, I'll stash some flashlights near the main stem and roots. Will cross my fingers. Thx so much for the great tips for last minute.
Good info. I also am having the same problems I found some large 80gal white plastic barrels on Facebook a while back I picked up about 30 of them for free I use these to put upside down over the plants and smaller trees for the entire winter. Works Great and keeps them going longer in the season. Just have to make sure to prop them up a little on warmer days so they don't get smothered out.
Wonderful! A guy from Michigan who understands our pain! Thanks for the tips buddy! I'm an old gal who loves flowers, mostly in pots. Trying my hand with veggies this spring also mostly potted. I scrimp all year to have lots O bucks for my plants, one of my passions! Hoping the poor FRA GEE LEES will recover from their shock. Gonna start following you for more tips, old dogs can learn new tricks, Ha!
love your vids! I'm obsessed. I'm in Brantford Ontario dealing with the same weather as u. I wasn't worried about the spinach but I just checked and the snow slid off the garage and has been landing on my little spinaches, hopefully not completely crushed!
Thanks for the video mate I’ll be covering mine with a frost blanket!!! Greetings from Melbourne :) x
Yay for this video as we now have snow coming and below zero tomorrow night and we just planted everything.. the weather was 30 f..amd we have strawberries blooming now too ha time to use your tips
PVC tube frame over my raised beds with 6 mil clear plastic will work for me. You can also place incandescent Christmas light strings under your coverings to gain more protection against a freeze. The millenial gardener did a RUclips video on this.
Oooooh I like the lights idea!
We’re fed up too!!! In Ohio here and was soooo disappointed with the snow when we woke up this morning . We just want to get stuff in the ground soon and we’re still dealing with these cold temps and winter weather! Grrr..
As we get 4 inches of snow tonight in Indiana lol I brought all my stuff in
I’m in Indiana too! Most of my stuff wasn’t out yet thank goodness, but I covered my peas, onions, and lettuce and hoping they’ll be ok!
Thank you for this! Florida here. Coldest temp in 8 years this weekend. Flight mode for my tomatoes it is. Gonna try fire barrel for my fruit trees they are flowering and some have already set fruit. I'm with you, this sucks! Thank you for the advice♥️
Very helpful. I’m in Upstate New York and the weather is freakish. False spring.
We are past our last frost date in southern Oklahoma...we are suppose to have a freeze tonight...30 degrees F!!!
Thank you so much! We've been having summer type days for a month - then of course on April 15th which is supposed to be our last frost date one week later we have snow! 🤦♀️
We have 3” here in central Indiana. The flowering trees are really bowing down
I am using whatever I can find to cover my plants. I put out mulch and a few buckets. I know it’s not the best to use but my plants are to big to bring inside. I am glad I have extras indoors. I am so tired of the cold but the hot days of summer are around the corner.
I love "wall of Water" sounds like a D&D spell :D
I made a green house over my 4x4 bed that had tomatoes, peppers and beans in it. Covered it with a canvas drop cloth. We’ll see if it makes it through this snap. I am not going to peek until it warms up. Maybe a menorah is called for...a little heat plus a little faith. Should be in the 30’s tonight. Thanks for the pep talk Luke.
Faith is always good.
i put milk jugs filled with hot tap water around the plant then cover it with frost blanket
I did something similar. Filled some gallon jugs with hot water, set one next to the plant I want to protect, mostly buried them in straw much and covered with a sheet. I'm hoping my tomatoes survive this way. Gonna have several hours below freezing tonight.
Wall a Waters? Isnt that an onion? 🤣😂😂. (Walla Walla....get it?)
Greats ideas. TY!
My scientist husband is sitting smugly while I am trying to save my plants like “global warming baby!” Yes darling, thank you.
Well he better be careful or his wonderful gardener wife may not wish to share her beautiful garden with him after she successfully saves it! Hehe! :-)
We are also in a solar minimum I believe this year
Yes the false spring was a surprise. Being from Michigan hedge bets. When I set plants out early I have back up in green house . Yes I leave the light on in green house at night and in garden put a sheet of plastic with a trouble light under it at night. I just plan for a false spring and watch weather forecast. It will warm up, thanks for the tips
Ohio here, sucks bro lol, also lucky for me I have not moved any of my veggies outside yet
I'm in MS . We here have to watch this. We had snow that was here for over a week.
Yep two years ago I dug up EVERYTHING in November as the freezes kept coming and a hard freezing rain was hitting and my sheets and buckets weren't cutting it any more. I got like thirty to fifty containers at dollar tree and was up all night in freezing rain hauling my entire garden indoors! If I was younger and stronger this would've worked well for everything but you must now treat them all like container plants which is a bit different and I ran out of windows, but it could work, I also had no indoor lighting and couldn't afford it, I had to borrow money to buy the dollar tree containers. So I was able to baby a couple things, I was growing mostly to learn my first year so.. It was OK after the tears were gone... But I had two broccoli plants that made a tiny misshapen broccoli but, but I cut it off as it withered, but I kept those two plants all winter, into next year and still now they're looking dead for neglect but I had no idea broccoli could live two years, now mine was so neglected it withered a few times, I prayed and watered them and their dry withered leaves would slowly regenerate after a few days. The one plant weaved like a vine on my window, the other did similar. I wanted to get videos of them but was living in such torturous pain last year especially, I just couldn't, sry. I might try getting them on my next video even if dead, you'll see how long they got and how resilient they are!! I was amazed! I'm wondering now what broccoli would do in the wild if left unharvested. I'm experimenting with plants that way, like potatoes and garlic... What if you don't harvest them!? Well my garlic came back and is very strong looking!!
I also showed in my last video, the garlic that bolted, going to seed, the capers I think everyone calls them, well I cut my garlic capers and saved them. They are like seeds, so you grow them and the video I watched has you digging them up every season to replant, but garlic is strong, why not leave them in the ground!? So that's my next experiment, I'll make a video showing you what I mean 😊
God bless and speak life over your plants 🙏🌱🥀🌻💐🍯💕🤗🏵️🌱💪😃👍💯🌻
these "freak freezes" are starting to become more routine with each passing year it feels like! i dont even try fruit trees because more often than not one of these freezes waits to come along after everything has already blossomed out, like clockwork.
Thankfully all i have in the ground so far are my peas, potatoes, and brassicas. So the only thing i really need to worry about are my haskap and blueberry bushes.
We live in Northern Alberta , we don't start the garden until late April or early May
It's good to know what stage your growth buds are at as to how much protection is needed. Like having tight barely swelling growth buds will survive frost but already leafed out growth buds need protection
Thank you for this my Hydrangea just might be ok then with the sheet I have over them. They weren't leafed out yet but buds were showing.
Worried about my Japanese weeping cherry tree
I threw down some plastic...another night of it Kansas 🌱🌻🌱 Potato 🥔 sturdy