When Should You Cover Plants? Cover your plants at night and remove them during the day when the temperatures rise above 32 degrees F, so that the soil can warm up again. Some outdoor plants won't survive the harsh conditions of winter, bring them inside and use these tips for caring for them through winter.
I did some research and found out that houseplants need to be taken indoors before overnight temperatures dip below 45 degrees. Most tropical plants suffer harm from temperatures below 40 degrees.
To know when to cover your plants, you need to know when the plants you have are susceptible to frost damage. Some frost-tender plants need to be covered as soon as the temperature hits 32°F, while others can handle lower temperatures and/or longer freezing periods.
Semi-hardy cool-season crops (beets, carrots, Swiss chard, lettuce, cauliflower, potatoes, parsley) grow in minimum daytime temperatures of 40 degrees and higher. They cannot withstand hard frost without some kind of covering or protection.
Once temperatures drop below 40°F, you may want to start covering your plants with a frost blanket depending on what you're growing, which we'll get into in just a bit.
Most houseplants are tropicals and prefer temperatures between 65-75°F during the day and about 10 degrees cooler at night. For many plants, temperatures below 50°F can cause problems. Adjust thermostats to cater to your comfort, but remember your plants need some consideration.
Plants may need covering if there's a long period of 25-degree weather, but they probably can survive a very short-lived cold snap during the night, Reeves said. Calm nights are actually harder on plants than nights with light winds.
Hardy plants can be hardened off when the outside temperature is consistently above 40° F. Half-Hardy plants may be hardened off at 45° F.
Most plants prefer a temperature of no less than 60° F, though many can tolerate as low as 40° F. Along with this, while the improper temperature can certainly be an issue, fluctuations in temperature are the true killer. Learn the ideal temperatures for your green friends so they can be healthier and happier.
Wrap pots or plants with fabric
You can wrap containers with bubble wrap or fabric layers to insulate further. Alternatively, plastic pots can be buried into beds to place roots below ground and draw warmth from deeper soil. Otherwise, bring pot plants indoors to shelter at the first sign of frost.
Use stakes or another support to keep the covering from directly touching the plants. Covering plants helps protect them from a freeze because it helps retain heat radiating from the soil and keeps them warm overnight.
When Should You Cover Plants? Cover your plants at night and remove them during the day when the temperatures rise above 32 degrees F, so that the soil can warm up again. Some outdoor plants won't survive the harsh conditions of winter, bring them inside and use these tips for caring for them through winter.
Fabric coverings will prevent the freezing air from coming into direct contact with the moisture on the plant while also capturing the heat that is radiating from the ground. Bed sheets or comforters work best for covering large plants and shrubs.
Light freeze - 29° to 32° Fahrenheit will kill tender plants. Moderate freeze - 25° to 28° Fahrenheit is widely destructive to most vegetation. Severe or hard freeze - 25° Fahrenheit and colder causes heavy damage to most plants.
A covered porch usually provides protection from light frost, but the garage or sun room is better for freezing temperatures. A couple days in darkness won't hurt the plant. Or move them out during the day and back in at night, if cold temperatures persist.
It's safe to move your plants outside when the outdoor temperatures stay consistently above 50°F. Pay attention to the weather report. If nighttime temperatures are set to fall below 50°F, bring your plants in for the night. Bring them back outside when temperatures rise.
Temperatures below 32 degrees can freeze the leaf tissue of cold-wimpy plants and turn them to mush after just a few hours. Some of the most tender annuals and veggies might not die but suffer cold-induced setbacks even when overnight lows dip below 40.
It's important to keep an eye on the weather – specifically the night ranges – and ensure that your green friends are never outdoors in degrees lower than 45 degrees. If you care for tropical plants, anything lower than 40 degrees will cause severe harm.
The newly emerged growth of most perennials can tolerate temperatures in the low 30s and upper 20s Fahrenheit. Freeze damage may occur if temperatures drop into the lower 20s or teens. Most well-established perennials that have been damaged by freezing temperatures should survive.
Most houseplants are tropical plants that can safely grow in a heated home during the winter. They will never survive outdoors in winter unless you live where the temperature stays at least above 50 degrees.
In cold weather, water should be trickled slowly into the soil. Water only when air temperatures are above 40 degrees F. Apply water at mid-day so there is time to soak in before possible freezing at night.
Much like humans, plants need to slowly increase the amount of sunshine they're exposed to or they'll get burned! If you don't harden your plants, the tender plants will get burned by the sun, the shock of cold, or the wind.
Avoid watering when temperatures are below 40°F or when sustained freezing temperatures are expected within 24 hours as this water will freeze and not be available to the plants.
-Don't make the mistake of thinking that a plant can remain covered for a few days when the weather calls for more than one night of frost. The protection needs to be taken off every morning when the sun comes out. Plants can't breathe under a heavy container, a layer of plastic or fabric.