April showers bring May flowers, but frost is still a threat

JACKSON, Tenn. — “This freeze is no surprise to us,” James Wick, Nursery Manager at Morris Nursery, said. “Our last frost date is historically April 15. We’re in line for a frost tonight.”

We all know that April showers bring May flowers, but right now it’s still feeling like December outside. So, what do you need to do to protect your plants?

“If you’ve gone and put your vegetable plants out, your tenders, your summer annuals, cover them up,” Wick said.

You can use any kind of blanket or sheet to protect them from the frost. If you like to work in the garden early in the morning, all you need is a garden hose.

“In the mornings, if the frost is still on the ground, if you came out with a garden hose and put a layer of water on top of them, it gives them insulation,” Wick said.

Another tip, if you don’t have a blanket or sheet, use a bucket to cover up your flowers and plants to protect them until the warmer weather comes back.

And, there are some things you can do to make sure your garden is ready for planting after that April 15 date.

“If you have weeds, you can go ahead and spray for weeds, or go ahead and do the hoeing,” Wick said.

There are also some products you can use on your plants to slow the wilting process if you did plant them too early.