Wednesday, September 17, 2008

Frost Alert!

We have some awesome weather forecasting friends at Skillin’s and they are telling us that conditions could be favorable for a Friday morning frost especially away from the coast and to the north of the Portland area. In most cases, it is still too early to have planted many plants that can be harmed by frost but nevertheless you should be aware that early Friday morning could bring some hurtful frost particles to some of your plants.

If temperatures drop much lower than 40 degrees and we have clear overnight skies with little wind, then frost is very likely to occur. Keep an eye on those night time temperatures!

Tender material planted in the ground (such as annual plantings and most vegetable plants) is really the plant material that is at risk.

If you suspect frost damage is likely to occur on a particular night, try to cover the “at risk” material with a bed sheet. If you have no bed sheets to spare, then we carry some awesome thin but protective frost cover blankets here for you. Or give this material a shower of water at dusk and then if frost has occurred give the material another shower to melt off the burning frost just before sunrise occurs. The early morning sun will touch those frost particles and cause the particles to in essence “burn” the plant material.

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