Preparing for the First Freeze

Preparing for the First Freeze
by The Gardens on Spring Creek Horticulture Team

From the high 90s to below freezing in one week, Colorado weather always keeps gardeners on their toes. Here are some tips from the horticulture team at The Gardens on Spring Creek on how to prepare your garden for the first freeze of the season.

Check Your Zone: As you look to the forecast and decide what plants to protect, check what plants have been matched to your site in terms of hardiness. The Gardens on Spring Creek sit at a USDA Hardiness Zone 5b, but you might be in a different zone or microclimate. Established perennials, grasses, trees and shrubs that are appropriately hardy will withstand a freeze. They may lose their leaves or go dormant, but you should have to be concerned about plant loss.

Water Well: For newer perennial plantings, be sure to water your plants well the day before an expected freeze. Cold stress and drought stress damage plants on a cellular level in a similar way, so by watering you can avoid extra damage. Additionally, well-hydrated soil resists temperature fluctuations, so watering can also protect fine root systems. Keep in mind that watering should be done only be done when the weather is above 50 degrees.

Hands Off: For established perennials, trees and shrubs and cool season vegetables like peas, carrots, kale and most herbs, the key is to let your plants be. Snow is largely trapped pockets of air that insulate well. The most dangerous weather to your garden is an exposed, hard freeze without any precipitation to protect your plants. If plants are frozen, don’t touch them – let them thaw. While they may look like they need help, they can handle a certain amount of stress. Touching frozen plants can cause additional damage and even plant cells to rupture. This goes for turf as well. Avoid a creating a path of dead grass by not walking on a frozen lawn.

Cover It Up: Annuals and warm season crops like peppers, tomatoes, cucumbers and basil will need covered or brought indoors to withstand a freeze. Use frost cloth, tarps or blankets to cover vegetation you want to protect. These materials can provide varying degrees of protection, depending on weight. When covering plants, create a sphere of protection without actually touching the plant. You can use metal hoops, stakes, tomato cages or other materials to drape your cloth without making contact. Mulching around the base of perennials is also helpful to insulate over winter.

If you can prevent your plants from freezing by covering them, they will continue to grow and produce once they warm up. As the nights become cooler and the days shorter, your harvest will gradually decrease.

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