Late Season Hard Freeze Forecasted

BarredBuff

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A freeze warning is in effect for us tomorrow night into Saturday morning. I have five rows of potatoes that are two-three inches high. Is there anything I can do to protect them? I do not have enough covering handy. Would a tarp protect them??
 

Britesea

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If you have some milk jugs, soda bottles, anything that can hold water-- put them under the covering too. Preferable all the way around the planting, but any will be better than none. As the water slowly freezes, it gives off heat... often just enough to save a crop. That's the principle behind the Wall O Water.

Another idea that a master gardener friend told me: if you have any of those mini Christmas lights- stick them under the cover-- they give off a little heat. Not enough to burn plants, but maybe enough to save them. She actually used them in her greenhouse, at the top of the dome. It would provide just enough heat to melt some of the snow sticking to the greenhouse and allow the snow to slide off.
 

wyoDreamer

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Potatoes you can bury- just hill over them lightly. knock the dirt off the leaves in the morning. You should be hilling the potatoes as they grow anyway.
 

BarredBuff

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Do you have a sewing machine? If so, save your feed bags, cut them open, and sew them into row cover tarps.
Yes, I do! That is brilliant! Thanks

I walked out there just now. The stems are intact, and I already see new leaves coming up. I think we are in the clear.
 

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Sheets are usually enough, except for cucumbers/squash/pumpkin/etc.

Can stake an empty milk jug over each plant for a mini greenhouse and then throw a sheet or tarp over the top at night.
 

BarredBuff

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Currently, they are not forecasting below 30 for us right now. It has poured the rain for 24 hours. I think I am going to chance it. Its so muddy out there right now that walking in it would probably do more damage than anything.

Worst case scenario they die to the ground, and then re-sprout.
 

frustratedearthmother

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A tarp would be better than nothing. If you had some extra sheets maybe put those down first and then tarp over? Or hay - that would be good also. Good luck!
 
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