Frost Advisory

May 22, 2015

The National Weather Service has issued a frost advisory for our area from midnight tonight until 9:00 am tomorrow morning.  This may come as a shock, but as we tell all our customers, there is ALWAYS a chance of frost through the month of May.  It may have been in the 80’s recently, but boy can our Pittsburgh weather fluctuate!

Tonight we are planning on covering all of our tender plants that are outside.  Please do the same to enjoy your plants all summer long.  Hanging baskets and container gardens should be brought inside if possible. Pansies, petunias, lettuce, cabbage and some other cold tolerant plants should be fine but Impatiens, Marigolds, Tomatoes, Eggplants, Squash and most of the rest need to be protected. Any shrubs or perennials that have grown naturally in place all spring should not be bothered. One possible exception is Hosta, though it usually only sustains cosmetic damage.

How and why do we cover our plants to protect from frost?  What covering does is keep the ground heat in by creating a mini “tent” that extends down to the ground. In order to protect your tender plants you will need to cover them with an old sheet or a pillowcase. Plastic sheeting is not recommended unless it can be suspended above (and not in contact with) the plant’s foliage. The plastic conducts the cold directly to the leaf surface if it is touching.

Wishing you a fun and safe holiday weekend!