JOHNSON, Arkansas — Last week we saw temperatures in the high 80s resulting in many people planting flowers and gardening.
While the upcoming freezing temperatures might feel a little random, plant experts say the timing is actually typical with a spring frost normally occurring around April 15 annually.
With lows around 30 degrees in some parts of our area for the next few nights, horticulture specialist for the University of Arkansas Colin Massey says your garden might be in the clear.
“When you are talking about plant damage because of freezes or frosts it all has to do with how hard the freeze is as well as the duration,” Massey said.
He says summer crops like tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers would be the plants to keep an eye on for the next few nights.
If you have taken the extra time at home to develop a green thumb, filling your porch or windows with plants now would be the time to preserve your hard work.
“It's kind of like you think about bridges they ice over first so anything that is elevated or isn’t insulated in the ground it's going to be a little bit more susceptible to changes in temperature,” Massey said.
Erica Barnett is the senior horticulturist at Garden IQ Organics and suggests bringing potted plants indoors, or covering them with a box or blanket.
"Try to make sure whatever you cover them with, whether it be a blanket, make sure you take the blanket to the bottom of the pot,” Barnett said.
The extra insulation will keep the plants nice and warm. But when the sun comes out, Barnett says let them breathe.
“So anything that you cover your plants with go ahead and take it off for the day so that they can breathe, move around and get the little bit of sun that will be out,” Barnett said.
If your plants do get damaged from the weather, both Massey and Barnett say just give them a little time, odds are they'll bounce back.