FREEZE PROTECTION

Stvrob · February 19, 2015

Help, I have potatoes just pushing thru and we are expecting it to get to 19℉ overnight! How much damage should I expect? Would it help to throw pine straw over the rows? That's all I have immediately available.

We never get anything but light frost this time of year.

clkeiper · February 19, 2015

yes, pile the pine straw over the potatoes. They should grow right through it if you don't get to it right away to remove it. Sorry for you, though. I am ordering my global warming right away. Put your order in too. It is supposed to be -14 tonight, here. I am so sick of this weather. It is frigid.

wmontanez · February 19, 2015

Mulch with stray and put plastic bag or a bucket upside down over the tips should be enough to protect them. As long as the temperature does not stay at 19 for one or week then the soil is not freezing. Water is more damaging if it rain first and then gets below 32 the tubers can rot.

Stvrob · February 19, 2015

I pulled some pine straw from the middle of the compost pile, it was actually warm and steamy inside.

February 19, 2015	#1
Stvrob Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: Jacksonville, FL Posts: 1,413	FREEZE PROTECTION Help, I have potatoes just pushing thru and we are expecting it to get to 19℉ overnight! How much damage should I expect? Would it help to throw pine straw over the rows? That's all I have immediately available. We never get anything but light frost this time of year.

February 19, 2015	#2
clkeiper Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: ohio Posts: 4,350	yes, pile the pine straw over the potatoes. They should grow right through it if you don't get to it right away to remove it. Sorry for you, though. I am ordering my global warming right away. Put your order in too. It is supposed to be -14 tonight, here. I am so sick of this weather. It is frigid. __________________ carolyn k

February 19, 2015	#3
wmontanez Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: MA Posts: 776	Mulch with stray and put plastic bag or a bucket upside down over the tips should be enough to protect them. As long as the temperature does not stay at 19 for one or week then the soil is not freezing. Water is more damaging if it rain first and then gets below 32 the tubers can rot. __________________ Wendy