how much cold can peppers withstand?

[beakhouse]

Our area temps got down to a little below freezing last night. My bell pepper plants are anywhere between a couple of inches and 8 inches tall. I covered them with a tarp and it wasn't windy overnight. I haven't had a chance to inspect them (I leave for work before sunup) but I'm wondering how much cold can they tolerate without being completely obliterated.

[rainbowgardener]

Not very much. Keep your fingers crossed. Depends on a lot of micro-climate issues whether they made it. When you say it got down below freezing in your area, is that in your yard, or just what the weatherfolk said? I am close to downtown and my yard is always a couple degrees warmer than what they read at the airport out a half hour drive from the city. Even on your property, there will be warmer and cooler spots, depending on shade, slope of the land, etc. But if they got frozen, they are gone.

[beakhouse]

Ah, I didn't think about the micro-climate. I'm usually at least a few degrees off from the airport temps (cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter). It didn't FEEL that cold this morning, so I'm hoping for the best. Thanks!

[applestar]

Sometimes, if you have a scorching sunny weather day after the frosty night, and you can't take care of them in the morning, they can get damaged from being covered in the sun. Tough to manage when you have places to go.