low temp of 31 degrees

[joed2323]

Some of you may know I have a portable greenhouse and I stuck my plants in the greenhouse monday afternoon from being indoors and they have been their ever since enjoying being closer to the ground, they did not seem to get shock whatsoever..

Ok now mother nature is taking its toll on a number of gardners just by reading some of the threads on this forum. Last night the low got down to the 30s and my plants seem ok in the greenhouse. My greenhouse isnt heated so I'm rolling the dice.

Tonights low is suppose to get down to 31 degrees, with this being said, what will happen to my tomatoes,pumpkins, and peppers in the greenhouse, they wont get frost being inside the greenhouse, but their is alot of condensation from the outside being colder then the inside, this stuff may freeze.

Long story short, what will happen to my plants, do I need to carry each plant in the house? Can they all actually die because of the temps??

Also I have broccoli in the ground, do I need to cover my 4 plants or are they strong enough to brave the last cold night I'm hoping, they are probably 4-6 inches tall if this makes a difference??

[btrowe1]

I'm going to be covering all of my plants that I have put in, cabbage,brussels,broccoli, We"re supposed to get it Sunday, Monday night lo 30's.

If I were you and if you are able,I would place a little electric heater in my greenhouse and cover the broccoli.

[rainbowgardener]

I absolutely would not bother covering cabbage, brussels sprouts and broccoli in temps like that, assuming they have been hardened off and are not fresh from inside. They are cold weather crops, extremely cold hardy and frost tolerant.

But tomatoes, peppers, and pumpkins are a whole different story. Yes, if they freeze they die. The pumpkins are the most sensitive of those and may die even if they don't freeze. The tomatoes are the hardiest of that group. If they are inside the green house and you can cover them, like with a cloche or an up-ended bucket, they may well be ok.

But I would bring the peppers and pumpkins back in. Sorry about that. It is being a rather difficult spring that way. I'm warmer than you, but even so, tomorrow night is forecast down to 39, 14 degrees below normal for the date.

[joed2323]

Problem solved, they are indoors and safe from the cold night

haha mother nature your not taking my plants just yet

[btrowe1]

A quick question on hardy plants, I just planted asparagus and it is beginning to grow, should this be covered.

[rainbowgardener]

Asparagus roots are extremely cold hardy, down to zone three. But the spears can be ruined by freezes. So if you have spears that are much above the ground, I would cover them. If they get frozen, it won't really harm the plant, just waste your wonderful home grown asparagus spears!

[btrowe1]

1st year 3 weeks new,I think I should cover, not eating them till 2015, Thank you, Joe I just covered some early planted spaghetti squash and brought in all the stuff I have been hardening off, hope you did well last night.e

[TZ -OH6]

The only thing I had in that needed protection was my potatoes. We were supposed to get an afternoon of clear weather but we didn't so I was out cutting the wet grass in the cold. I covered the tater plants with the clippings and except for a few frost scorches they came through OK.. I'm surprised how accurate my last frost dates always are. Two weeks in the 70s and 80s, then two days of frost right on the mark.