My grandfather was an old farmer while I was growing up in Ashtabula County. He had a big yard and always tilled up a 1/2 acre garden plot for us each spring, but we were never allowed to stick a seed or tomato plant in that garden until Memorial Day Weekend.
"Too risky." He always said. "Frost can sneak up on you anytime in May."
Over the years, I've broken that rule several times. If I see a warm sunny extended forecast for the second or third week of May, I'll sneak in some of those tender summertime veggies in my outdoor garden spaces, but I always see my Grandfather shaking his head.
Some very chilly air will settle into Northern Ohio tonight. Low temperatures away from Lake Erie could easily fall down to 33 or 34 degrees. A few spots could also see 31 or 32 degrees if conditions are right by 6 a.m. Thursday morning.
If you decided to plant your heat-loving petunias, zinnias or tender summer vegetables like tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers and squash, they are in real danger of taking a frosty hit tonight.
There are several ways to protect your garden plants during times like these.
Grab some mulch, hay or straw, dried leaves or even newspaper and blanket up your plants, covering even the top leaves. This will insulate them from the cold.
Plastic or ceramic pots work well. Just turn them over and cover each plant. If your pot has holes on the bottom, cover the holes with leaves or paper or even a big rock.
My final go-to frost protection tip involves warm water. Fill up bowls and buckets with hot water and place them near your plants. The hot water will slowly cool and keep any nearby foliage from freezing in the cold.
A couple of final thoughts: never allow plastic bags to touch the leaves. The cold goes right through and can damage the tender leaf tissue. Also, it's not necessary to cover your perennials or shrubs. They are tough enough to take a night of cold.
The good news here: I see warmer weather settling in for the middle and end of next week. This should allow all of us to finally get outside and safely dig in the dirt!
Want the latest Power of 5 weather team updates wherever you go? Download the News 5 App free now: Apple|Android
Download the StormShield app for weather alerts on your iOS and Android device: Apple|Android
Click here to view our interactive radar.
Read and watch the latest Power of 5 forecast here.
Follow the News 5 Weather Team:
Mark Johnson: Facebook & Twitter
Trent Magill: Facebook & Twitter
