Tucking Your Plants in At Night

Unexpected Cold:
Now that spring is just around the corner, everyone is tempted to start planting. However, there are still those little unexpected cold snaps that come along. For the ponder, that means paying special attention to plants, such as water hyacinth, that grows great during the day but suffers when unprotected during the evening cold. Even though the temperatures might only get down to 40 degrees at night, frost can still form high upon the rooftops. This is a sign to pay special attention to plants left outside. If left uncovered, the more tropical-like plants will begin to brown and might not survive.

There is an easy solution to this.
If you are not able to house your plants or bring them inside at night, simply cover your container pond with a towel or a sheet. DO NOT USE PLASTIC. While cotton absorbs moisture, plastic traps it in against your sensitive plants. My mother covered her plants with plastic and lost every single one. And, that was when the temps were above freezing! When I lived in Tahoe (one of the coldest urban environments out there) I covered my pond plants with cotton sheets and they did just fine.

Plant care and pre-spring temperature is tricky. But for now while the weather is in transition, remember to tuck your tropicals in at night.