Take Plants Indoors Friday Night

With the Upper Cumberland preparing for some of the coldest temperatures this year since January, local gardeners of flower beds and other delicate foliage risk losing their plants Friday night.

Weather forecasters have issued a Freeze Warning for Friday night. Temperatures could dip into the mid 20s by Saturday morning.

Putnam County UT Agriculture Agent Wayne Key said residents should move potted plants indoors or under cover if possible.

“If you’re able to cover them, use a light sheet or a light piece of plastic draped with some bamboo sticks or something to keep it off the plant, to keep it from breaking any tender limbs and the top vegetative part of the plant,” Key said. “That’ll certainly help. Also any kind of wind barrier they can do or screen to keep that off the plants.”

Although this will help the plants from being damaged, Key said this is not a foolproof way to keep plants safe. Small shrubs are hardy and won’t be affected as much as flower beds or potted plants. Key said most summer flowers like petunias or black-eyed susans are more at risk.

Key said the soil temperature lately has remained between 62 and 68 degrees. That means root systems should not be impacted by the cold.

“When we get into planting and soil, we look at soil temperature a lot for germination, and the soil temperature this time of year is slow to warm up,” Key said. “It’s also slow to chill and cool down.”

Bulbed plants and seeds remain safe during cold snaps, Key said.