Cold Snap Question

hunter · May 13, 2016

So the weather forecast in my neck of the woods says that tomorrow's high will be 58F and the low will be 39F.

Is there anything I need to do to protect the plants in the ground from this cold, which have been growing happily even though it's monsoon season in KY. I have a very thick layer of straw mulch around them, and they are in raised beds.

Thanks!

MissS · May 13, 2016

No, you should be fine. It is when there is a frost warning that you need to act.

hunter · May 13, 2016

Whew! Thanks!

twillis2252 · May 13, 2016

Getting ready to plant out my tomatoes this weekend. Low tomorrow night in the NC high country forecast at 35 and Sunday high 55. Sunday night low of 37. Think I will wait until Monday to plant the tomatoes...
Will begin to plant my beans, okra, cucumbers, squash, watermelon and cantaloupe seed tomorrow and Sunday as temps will moderate beginning Monday.

Gardeneer · May 13, 2016

Agree with MissS.
39F overnite low is not going to do any harm to your tomato plants and there is no need for any extra measure to be taken. I have experienced it many times, over many years, down to 36F.
The experts say as long as temps stay above freezing mark , tomatoes can take it.

Gardeneer

greenthumbomaha · May 13, 2016

Wow 2252, you are having the same cold snap as we are here in Nebraska.

- Lisa

jmsieglaff · May 13, 2016

I will be covering my plants late Saturday afternoon. I'm hoping for some overnight high clouds Saturday night, but at this point frost looks more likely than not here in southern Wisconsin.

TomNJ · May 14, 2016

You can still get frost at temperatures above 32°F. Temperature forecasts are taken at 6' above the ground for an average elevation in the forecast area. If there is little or no wind, temperatures at ground level may be a few degrees lower. I have heard of frost at air temperatures of 35°-36°F, although not very common. If the forecast is correct for 38°F you should be okay. We have the same forecast here for Sat and Sun nights, but I am waiting until Monday to plant my tomatoes, peppers, and eggplants so as to take no chances. I just can't afford to lose 100 plants the day before leaving on a two week vacation.

TomNJVA

hunter · May 14, 2016

Thanks, everyone. I think that I'll place a blue plastic tarp that I have over them tonight just to be safe. I'd rather err on the side of OCD than risk losing my plants.

hovermother22 · May 14, 2016

I too have my plants on the launch pad. The majority of them will go into a garden plot at a community garden. Because of the cooler rainy weather in Chicago, the opening has been delayed. I want to start hardening them off outside, and eventually let them stay out there overnight, but it has been unseasonably cool in Chicago.
I defer to the experts here: What daytime temps and nighttime temps do I need for the hardening off process to begin and for them to eventually stay out all night? I can protect them with a tarp at night if necessary and put them close to the house for warmth. They are getting way too big to stay under the lights!
Thank you. You are all my idols!!! I cannot believe how much you folks know about tomatoes!!!

twillis2252 · May 14, 2016

Visited the local Farmer's Market earlier today and one lady I talked with lives on the Tn. side of the state line with NC. Elevation there is around 4500'. She told me she planted all her Summer veggies earlier this week including tomatoes. She is expecting a light frost by tomorrow AM. Said she was covering her tomatoes. For once, I am glad I have been patient with the weather. Isn't there an ol' saying "Patience is a virtue?"

jmsieglaff · May 14, 2016

When I planted out the ground was warm. The forecast wasn't too bad. This week turned cooler than expected. I had a rogue snowflake on my jacket at Noon today, temp 42f. My tomatoes aren't very pleased with me right now. I've covered them with upside down buckets and the more difficult to replace ones are also covered with old towels. The weather will improve after tonight but this is the longest sub 50 and sub 45 degree spurt my tomatoes will ever have to go through, hopefully all is well in the AM and as next week progresses! The risk of going early, usually my timing is appropriate, I guess I'm dealing with one of those one in 8 or 10 year type stretches here.

clkeiper · May 14, 2016

If you have tomatoes cover them. Even at 40-45 we cover ours. I notice later in the season we have cat faces, zippers, anomolies etc... in most of the tomatoes that go through the cold snaps. Usually the plants planted out after the last frost don't have the same issues.

twillis2252 · May 14, 2016

Quote:

Originally Posted by clkeiper

If you have tomatoes cover them. Even at 40-45 we cover ours. I notice later in the season we have cat faces, zippers, anomolies etc... in most of the tomatoes that go through the cold snaps. Usually the plants planted out after the last frost don't have the same issues.

Thanks for the update! One variety I am planting is 0-33 Russian variety supposedly cold tolerant. May plant it tomorrow to see how it does with Monday AM lows mid 30's. Where my garden is located in the mountains, I am adjacent to a ridge and not in a valley or "holler." Get constant winds here. Gusts now approaching 40mph.

bower · May 14, 2016

One advice I got from Fusion Power a couple years ago, not to give tomato plants two stresses at the same time. So not to plant just before a cold snap, and give em transplant stress + cold stress, instead plant when there are several warm days in the forecast. I tried this advice and found it to be very good for me. When planted before a couple of warm days the plants were not too stressed by cold afterwards. On the other hand when I planted just before a couple of miserable cold days, they suffered a lot and in fact had ripe fruit later than their less-stressed same varieties which were planted out after the bad weather.

In my greenhouse I have often protected with row cover on nights of 45 F so can't say if damage would have happened. 48 is a safe temperature for seedlings and new transplants (week or less) that have previously been exposed to cold . I did see cold stress response to nights in the 47-49 F range though, in seedlings that didn't have previous cold exposure - purpling on leaf veins noticeable after one night. Not too serious IMO. Getting ready for the real world.

May 13, 2016	#1
hunter Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2006 Location: Lexington, KY Posts: 213	Cold Snap Question So the weather forecast in my neck of the woods says that tomorrow's high will be 58F and the low will be 39F. Is there anything I need to do to protect the plants in the ground from this cold, which have been growing happily even though it's monsoon season in KY. I have a very thick layer of straw mulch around them, and they are in raised beds. Thanks!

May 13, 2016	#2
MissS Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Pewaukee, Wisconsin Posts: 3,150	No, you should be fine. It is when there is a frost warning that you need to act. __________________ ~ Patti ~

May 13, 2016	#6
greenthumbomaha Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Omaha Zone 5 Posts: 2,514	Wow 2252, you are having the same cold snap as we are here in Nebraska. - Lisa Last edited by greenthumbomaha; May 13, 2016 at 09:40 PM. Reason: another post came in between

May 14, 2016	#13
clkeiper Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: ohio Posts: 4,350	If you have tomatoes cover them. Even at 40-45 we cover ours. I notice later in the season we have cat faces, zippers, anomolies etc... in most of the tomatoes that go through the cold snaps. Usually the plants planted out after the last frost don't have the same issues. __________________ carolyn k

May 13, 2016	#4
twillis2252 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2016 Location: SC & NC Posts: 258	Getting ready to plant out my tomatoes this weekend. Low tomorrow night in the NC high country forecast at 35 and Sunday high 55. Sunday night low of 37. Think I will wait until Monday to plant the tomatoes... Will begin to plant my beans, okra, cucumbers, squash, watermelon and cantaloupe seed tomorrow and Sunday as temps will moderate beginning Monday.

May 13, 2016	#5
Gardeneer Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2015 Location: NC - zone 8a - heat zone 7 Posts: 4,919	Agree with MissS. 39F overnite low is not going to do any harm to your tomato plants and there is no need for any extra measure to be taken. I have experienced it many times, over many years, down to 36F. The experts say as long as temps stay above freezing mark , tomatoes can take it. Gardeneer

May 13, 2016	#7
jmsieglaff Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Southern WI Posts: 2,742	I will be covering my plants late Saturday afternoon. I'm hoping for some overnight high clouds Saturday night, but at this point frost looks more likely than not here in southern Wisconsin.

May 14, 2016	#8
TomNJ Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2009 Location: Floyd VA Posts: 771	You can still get frost at temperatures above 32°F. Temperature forecasts are taken at 6' above the ground for an average elevation in the forecast area. If there is little or no wind, temperatures at ground level may be a few degrees lower. I have heard of frost at air temperatures of 35°-36°F, although not very common. If the forecast is correct for 38°F you should be okay. We have the same forecast here for Sat and Sun nights, but I am waiting until Monday to plant my tomatoes, peppers, and eggplants so as to take no chances. I just can't afford to lose 100 plants the day before leaving on a two week vacation. TomNJVA

May 14, 2016	#10
hovermother22 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2016 Location: Chicago Posts: 70	I too have my plants on the launch pad. The majority of them will go into a garden plot at a community garden. Because of the cooler rainy weather in Chicago, the opening has been delayed. I want to start hardening them off outside, and eventually let them stay out there overnight, but it has been unseasonably cool in Chicago. I defer to the experts here: What daytime temps and nighttime temps do I need for the hardening off process to begin and for them to eventually stay out all night? I can protect them with a tarp at night if necessary and put them close to the house for warmth. They are getting way too big to stay under the lights! Thank you. You are all my idols!!! I cannot believe how much you folks know about tomatoes!!!

May 14, 2016	#15
bower Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Newfoundland, Canada Posts: 6,794	One advice I got from Fusion Power a couple years ago, not to give tomato plants two stresses at the same time. So not to plant just before a cold snap, and give em transplant stress + cold stress, instead plant when there are several warm days in the forecast. I tried this advice and found it to be very good for me. When planted before a couple of warm days the plants were not too stressed by cold afterwards. On the other hand when I planted just before a couple of miserable cold days, they suffered a lot and in fact had ripe fruit later than their less-stressed same varieties which were planted out after the bad weather. In my greenhouse I have often protected with row cover on nights of 45 F so can't say if damage would have happened. 48 is a safe temperature for seedlings and new transplants (week or less) that have previously been exposed to cold . I did see cold stress response to nights in the 47-49 F range though, in seedlings that didn't have previous cold exposure - purpling on leaf veins noticeable after one night. Not too serious IMO. Getting ready for the real world.