Handling Tonight’s Hard Freeze

Posted in Around the Garden, Gardening Tips on March 26 2012, by Matt Newman

Meteorology is something of an inexact science. Some days, forecasting the weather seems a little closer in discipline to fortune telling. And after all of the comforting reassurance (we were so set on it!) that the cold was behind us and nothing but picturesque spring days lay ahead, the hard freeze set to plow through New York tonight has shoulders slumping in gardens across the region. But, while it’s tempting, skip leading a pitchfork mob to your weatherman’s house. Shooting the messenger never solved any problems, especially when nature is such a fickle character.

The inbound chill may be grim news for many of the early blooms that sprung out of dormancy at the first sign of warm weather. But which petals will pull through, and which are facing the axe? We asked Kristin Schleiter, our acting Director of Outdoor Gardens, to chime in with her take on the situation. Depending on what you’re keeping in your home garden, you may be in the clear.

“Daffodil lovers (and lovers of other bulbs, too!) should not despair,” Kristin says. “They should be just fine. They will most likely be face down in the soil in the morning, but will pop back up with warming temperatures.”

As for the flowering trees softening the landscape with their pinks and whites, the outlook is a trifle gloomy.

“Cherry cheerers, however, should get out their hankies, because the cherry blossoms are not as resilient and are likely to be frost burned. Magnolia maniacs will, likewise, be in mourning.”

If you have a plant that has pushed its spring growth early and you want to make an effort to protect it, Kristin says it can’t hurt. Just make sure that whatever you use for covering the plant (newspapers or sheets are good options) is propped up by garden stakes or sticks to keep the weight off tender new growth.

In the meantime, the Director’s final bit of advice is sage: “Fingers crossed, everyone!”