Protecting your plants from the frost

HOBART - With all of the warm weather and sunshine over the past month or so, many plants around the area have already started to spring up.

Grass has turned from its winter shade of brown to a deep green. Trees are already starting to bud and grow leaves. Flowers have also begun to pop up and bloom.

But with a frost to set to occur in many areas Wednesday night, could this early growth come back to bite budding plants?

According to several landscapers, horticulturists, and gardeners that FOX 11 meteorologist Phil DeCastro talked to Wednesday, it's almost unprecedented how far along plants are in their growth cycles.

But Wednesday night, we're expecting most areas to experience at least a frost.

Bulbs and perennials should be okay weathering the chill.

Annuals and other more delicate plants, such as tomatoes, will need more protection.

Plastic sheets, landscaping cloth, bed sheets, or old blankets can all be used to place over top of the plants. Those items should be kept from resting directly on the plants. Prop whatever material you use up over them using sticks in the ground.

Mayflower Greenhouse in Hobart says there is another tip to helping plants survive a frost.

“You can kind of protect them from the hard frost by making sure that the soil is watered because the water stores heat. So, you have enough moisture in the ground that it will keep the heat a little bit longer,” said Januz Kuzma, Mayflower Greenhouse.

The best solution is to bring plants inside if they're still in planting pots. And some plants are more sensitive than others.

Kuzma says especially delicate warm weather plants like tomatoes and cucumbers should really be protected anytime temperatures even dip below 40.