We’re about to experience a hard freeze here in Jasper and the surrounding north Georgia areas. Thankfully, this isn’t something we have to deal with on a regular basis here, but because of the fact that we aren’t used to dealing with temperatures much before freezing, our landscapes might have a hard time handling the cold. Whispering Springs Nursery has some tips for you to give your landscape a hand against the frigid temperatures.
If you have anything rated for USDA Zone 6 or higher, it’s going to need some help. All of your plants that are potted in containers or hanging baskets should be moved indoors, or at least into the garage out of the wind during a cold snap. If you have small annuals, dig them up and pot them to bring them indoors. They will be more likely to survive with this method, rather than leaving them to fend for themselves out in the wind. Anything that can’t be brought inside should be completely covered to protect it from the wind.
Typically, we would say that you should water everything that must be left in the ground the night before the freeze, but we have had so much rain lately that the ground is wet and this is not a necessary step. Watering plants before a hard freeze will allow the water to freeze around the roots which acts as an insulator and protects them from damage.
As soon as the dangers of the hard frost have passed, uncover all of your plants, put your containers outside, and let them soak up the sunshine!
