MEMPHIS, TN (abc24.com) - Whether you have roses or daffodils, many flowers are budding early because of the mid-winter warm up. Below freezing temperatures can damage many plants, especially if a night of bitterly cold weather happens later in the spring.
Jim Crowder with Dan West Garden Center said, “If it were another 30 days from now, I'd be really concerned. The trunks on Japanese Maples will split after sap has risen and then we get these bitterly cold temperatures.”
Fortunately, perennials can survive a brief cold snap. The cold, dry wind can burn your buds faster than temperatures alone. Crowder suggests covering up the tenderest plants with fabric, not plastic. Also, keep the ground very moist.
“The more water we can get on it during these warm periods, the healthier the plant will be if we go into some prolonged cold spells,” advised Crowder.
Crowder said you should hold off on planting annuals and vegetables until the middle of April in case the Mid-South gets a late freeze.
