Protecting tomatoes from frost

[lumierefrere]

What are some good ways to protect the plants? I've heard old sheets but I don't have any of those. I've heard plastic. Can the woven plastic tarps be used? I have several new ones and while they are heavier than sheet plastic, they could be tented to some degree.

Barb

[feldon30]

If the plastic touches the leaves, then the leaves will freeze to the plastic.

I would try a Salvation Army or Garage Sales to see if you can get old sheets.

[montanamato]

Barb...Horse sheets work best....The lightly lined ones don't weigh the plants down as much...Lighly quilted "old syle" bedspreads are good too....If you have or can get your hands on some old horse sheets give them a try...

Jeanne

[Rena]

I have bags of scraps. I have curtains that are double lined. I use old sheets towels well just about everything. This Spring when we had our late frost my husband asked if we had sheets on our bed? I tried plastic in the past it was a no go. I did put a tarp with a rotating heater fan over my biggest bed and it worked.

[Suze]

Originally Posted by lumierefrere

What are some good ways to protect the plants? I've heard old sheets but I don't have any of those. I've heard plastic. Can the woven plastic tarps be used? I have several new ones and while they are heavier than sheet plastic, they could be tented to some degree.

Barb, sheets or plastic can be used, and I've even been known to use those thick moving blankets before. One thing to keep in mind is if it rains, a covering might sag and end up touching or weighting down the plants. Especially in the case of plastic, you wouldn't want any contact with the plants. So, if there's a chance of rain, make sure whatever is used is stretched tight or angled to let the water run off.

Also, don't wait until the sun goes down or it has already cooled off to cover the plants, you want to have some heat build up under your covering, especially if you are expecting actual freezing temperatures. Caution: especially in the case of plastic, you'll need to vent it during the day or even remove the cover. Use your judgment and/or a thermometer to determine how hot it can really get under the cover before leaving it on all day. It can really get quite hot under plastic and cook your plants even in coolish temps if there is any direct sun.

You probably already know this, but yet another thing to take into account when deciding if plants need covered is that is that a frost can occur even when temps are in the high 30's.

Other ways to help keep things warm under a covering is buckets of hot water (done this with success), and xmas lights (haven't tried it, but heard it helps).

Hope this helps.

[Worth1]

Water sprinklers work with a light frost.
A rain saved me from a freeze last spring.

[Suze]

Originally Posted by Worth1

Water sprinklers work with a light frost.
A rain saved me from a freeze last spring.

Me too! Boy, was I sweating that one.

[lumierefrere]

I guess I'll have to start stopping at yard sales to see if I can find some of these things. Glad I asked early!