Lifesblessings,

There's no point in worrying about things you can't change and things you cannot prevent. The weather is going to do what it is going to do and the plants just have to deal with it. Remember, these plants are supposed to be able to handle this weather--they are not delicate tropicals!

In general, plastic on plants is not good if the plastic is touching the foliage. Anyplace that the plastic touches the foliage, the foliage/flowers will freeze if temperatures are freezing on the outside of the plastic. I only put plastic over plants if it is suspended by a framework like a teepee of poles or hoops (the kind you use to hold row cover suspended over a row of young plants) or, sometimes, if I have tomatoes in the ground with their cages staked around them. In all those cases, the plastic does not touch the plants but touches the poles, the hoops or the cages. Plastic really only buys you a degree or two of warmth at the most if used alone, but it can help hold in heat if you have WOW or Kozy Koats, two liter bottles or buckets of water set next to each plant as solar collectors, a soil heating cable or a row of Christmas lights. However, it is the other devices that are either providing heat or collecting heat....the plastic just helps hold the heat in around the plants.

Sometimes I lay plastic directly on the ground, but only if there is not any foliage that could touch it. For example, if I have potatoes in the ground and their foliage is up a couple of inches, I dirt them (pile the dirt on top of the foliage, essentially burying it) put some hay on top of the dirt and lay plastic on top to keep the hay from blowing away. Same thing with onions, only I cover their foliage with hay or straw and then plastic or landscape fabric to hold it in place. Once again, I wouldn't use the plastic if the foliage wasn't buried under hay because the foliage will freeze where it touches the plastic.

Covering trees and lilacs serves no purpose. If they are going to freeze, plastic won't save them. It MIGHT keep the blossoms or small fruit on the trees from freezing if temps only go below freezing for an hour, but it is not helpful for longer cold periods. I think peonies should be fine, but you could cover them at with a bucket if you want and if it would give you peace of mind. I don't cover peonies even if it is going to snow. If the barerooted trees are mulched they should be fine. It isn't going to get cold enough for them to suffer root damage.

If fruit is going to freeze, and it probably is, there's nothing you can do.

Relax. Drink a cup of tea, coffee or cocoa. Enjoy the snow and remember that all the plants you're worried about can take a certain amount of cold. Is it ideal that blooming plants be exposed to freezing temps, high winds and cold. No, it certainly is not ideal but it is just the way things go. This is Oklahoma where we are probably just as likely to get snow and sleet in March as in January. You'll survive. The plants will survive. As for as fruit? It is never guaranteed and probably most of us will lose our fruit crops this year if the weather develops as forecast. There's just no use in fretting over things you can't change.

About the only thing you can do is water the plants well (moist but not sopping wet) if rain doesn't fall and freezing weather is expected because dry roots suffer freeze damage more quickly than moist roots.

Dawn

wow, I guess I raced around and exhausted myself for nothing. But even if the very top leaves freeze through the plastic it will keep the snow off the other leaves. Thinking snow and ice would burn the leaves... I guess I just don't get the concept of how snow will affect tender spring foliage... or are you trying to get through my slow brain that its not tender foliage? Everything is well mulched. I keep things appropriate watered. Guess its wait and and see and learn. I'm not a worrier. 'Over active caregiver' as a new gardener, but totally subscribe to your thoughts = if you can't change it, live in the moment, its going to happen anyway. According to tonight's news weather has changed and we're getting a full foot of snow between Friday night and Saturday morning... but Sunday is going to be sunny and 55 with only 14 mph breeze. I think I'm going to seed broccoli (have never done it before, might still work...worth a try. Bought some peppers and tomatoes at Atwoods today but think I'll keep them in a sunny window for awhile. Many thanks for your patient and wise, and excellent advice! Barb

Barb,

"Tender foliage", if it freezes in late winter or early spring, is easily replaceable. If something happens to it and it dies, it will fall off and then new leaves will grow to replace the ones that fell. Not a big deal in any way.

You're welcome.....I wish I could have stopped you before you raced all over the place with your plastic. There's no point in wearing yourself out trying to prevent damage that really can't be prevented. : )

Dawn

When I lived in PHX, I covered my fruit trees with Christmas lights and a cloth or burlap sheet. Any new growth was sufficiently protected from damaging freezes.

This method may not work with strong winds and heavy precip, however. My apple and plum trees in Tulsa are on their own, as I am in California now on business. :(

Good luck to all of us in this horrendously weather-abnormal state.

Arizona sooner,

I did that one year here and it worked (it was only cold, no snow, no wind) but then 50-55 mph winds two weeks later stripped off all the fruit anyway.

I don't think Christmas lights and tarps or sheets will work with this storm--it has horrendous wind.

Tulsa is so far east.....maybe the snow will mostly peter out before it reaches y'all.

I hope you're safe in California. You're missing a doozy of a day here!

Dawn