This weather

15 years ago

I was getting excited about the spring and getting into the garden to get things planted. Then it snowed today. I knew a cold front was coming through and next week it looks like there may be actual freezing temperatures.

My local soil and water district is having their plant sale pickup this weekend. I think the plants will be young and bare root, or close to it. How can I protect them against the coming weather? Should I plant them and cover them with mulch? Something else?

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Comments (9)

anuparaj
15 years ago
I have the same issue. :( I went to Swanson's and got some Asparagus crown and rhubard roots as well as a bare root rose that I have been trying to find for ages..I don't know what to do with them now, since I'm hearing the 'snow' word being tossed around.
meganpnw
15 years ago
I would plant them in containers and put them somewhere protected for a while. I have a camellia and a rhododendron sitting in containers right now waiting for Spring.
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Embothrium
15 years ago
Plants in containers are much more vulnerable to cold than those in the ground.
larry_gene
15 years ago
If they are dormant, bare-root plants, just plant them out in the ground. It won't get cold enough in Portland now unless your plant is tender in zone 8.

The main factor is we just had about an inch of rain and the soil may not be easily workable. You can store already potted or put bare-root plants in a pot of fine damp mulch and keep them in the garage or other shelter for several weeks.

Prior to the recent rain I dug a 1.25 cubic yard trench to slide a small tree over about 5 feet. Soil was nice but I had to keep scraping the soil buildup off tools.
nanagarden
15 years ago
I agree that you may want to plant them. I have a few bare root items to pick up Saturday and they will be planted by Sunday afternoon. I did this last year and did not suffer any plant loses.
User
Original Author
15 years ago
This also reminds me to wonder if we're going to have a year where we can't plant tomatoes and other vegetables until July.
botann
15 years ago
Why can't you just plant them when you get home? Or, early the next morning? It's just a few bare root plants. How much energy and time does that take?
Mike
User
Original Author
15 years ago
Oh, I can plant them when I get home. I just don't want to plant them and then have them die because the upcoming freeze gets them.
gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
15 years ago
No reason why a freeze should kill them if they are hardy enough to grow here anyway. I recall one February during the bare root sale at the nursery I worked for where it snowed the better part of a foot and then froze solid. All the bare root stock packed into sawdust bins came through just fine. Or as well as bare root normally does :-))

These are very normal weather conditions for February in our area.....nothing to get overly concerned about. And certainly much too early to worry about when to plant tomatoes!! The official start of spring is still a full month away and the weather after that time may well be quite mild. Or not!