Spring and even summer night frosts are a fairly common phenomenon and occur regularly. These drops in temperature can be more or less intense and of variable duration. We often don’t even notice brief temperature drops at night in May. And in the northern regions, night frosts are frequent and natural in June. In this case, the temperature can drop sharply to -5°C.
“For zonal plant communities growing in the natural environment, these frosts usually do not cause much damage. However, for cultivated plants, especially heat-loving ones, a decrease in temperature can become a serious problem or cause of death. The result will depend on the intensity of the frost and its duration, as well as the microclimate of the place,” Myazin said in an interview with RG.
How to prevent in advance negative consequences for plants, which can most often be found in residents’ gardens or gardens
First of all, many plants tolerate low temperatures well and do not need additional care during spring frosts, says Myazin. These include garlic, onion, radish, carrot and cabbage, which can withstand short drops in temperature to -4°C.
“In case of a sharp drop in temperature, plantings can be covered with a film. Fruit trees and berry bushes are most vulnerable during the periods of flowering and fruit setting, and a drop in temperature to -5°C can cause their complete death and loss of yield. Ornamental shrubs, including conifers, can mostly tolerate frosts down to -5…-7°C. Ferns and annual plants also suffer severely from frosts during the period. of flowering. it can die,” said the expert.
Secondly, it is necessary to periodically check the weather forecast at the beginning of the active growing season, that is, in the first half of May. “Meteorologists’ warnings about frost should not be ignored to preserve the future harvest. The crops most vulnerable to frost are cucumbers, tomatoes, peppers, zucchini and eggplants, as well as watermelons, melons and pumpkins, which are quite heat-loving. ”says Myazin.
Thirdly, it is worth planting in open ground within the recommended time frame, based on long-term climatic observations, and preferably a few days later.
“Here everything will depend on the region and the current climate during the planting period. In addition, it will be useful to plant crops of different ripening periods, which will reduce the negative effect of the possible death of early varieties during spring frosts,” the expert explained. .
How to deal with frost if it was a complete surprise for you and your garden
The easiest way to protect plants in the open field, says Myazin, is to cover them all together with a film (or other covering material, RG note) or with plastic containers (even glass jars) separately for each plant and spray the edges with soil to avoid cold air contamination. “These structures can be removed during the day and replaced at night, which will allow them to wait out the cold period with minimal losses,” the expert explained.
The surface of the earth can be sprinkled with a layer of humus, covered with hay or cut grass. Mulching will not only retain heat, but will also reduce the number of weeds. Myazin noted that conifers and leaf litter are more suitable for this. Humus and mulch should be applied in a layer of 1-2 cm.
“In any case, you should not rush to plant, if possible, plant crops from different maturation periods and pay attention to the weather forecast during the flowering and fruit setting period,” concluded the expert.
