topic Re: Do established perrienials need covered if it dips below freezing one night? in Garden

Do established perrienials need covered if it dips below freezing one night?

Nataliesgramma — Fri, 08 May 2020 12:20:46 GMT

I have Iris...day lily...roses...lilac...butterfly bush....

We have some wet snow also in the forcast that could make the covering heavy over the plants...

Re: Do established perrienials need covered if it dips below freezing one night?

BirkiLady — Fri, 08 May 2020 12:40:52 GMT

No, they are pretty hardy periennials even as far north as MN. I don't cover any of those listed when it hits 32 degrees in Nebraska (Zone 5-b) and they are fine.

The only periennial I will cover when temperatures are going to reach 32, is my Bleeding Heart . . . the buds will freeze. I've already trimmed them off once this year and it has resumed growth and is blooming like nothing happened! I'm happy now, but certainly learned the hard way this year.

The heavy snow will melt quickly. Your plants may be tipsy, but they will spring back up when they are ready.

Best wishes and enjoy the miracles of Mother Nature at work.

ETA: I'm not positive about the roses. Hope someone else is able to answer you. Think they should also survive a dip in temperatures.

Re: Do established perrienials need covered if it dips below freezing one night?

drizzellla — Fri, 08 May 2020 12:54:02 GMT

Are the iris flower blooming? The flower won't last in the snow.

I lost all my daffodil flowers last year because of cold. Every bud froze. I had been covering the plants at night and one night I forgot.

As Birkilady said the plants will be just fine.

Re: Do established perrienials need covered if it dips below freezing one night?

gardenman — Fri, 08 May 2020 13:12:18 GMT

The plants should be fine. Mother Nature is taking us right up to that last frost date this year. It's been a cold, wet spring around here. Tonight and tomorrow night are to be in the mid-thirties again.

Re: Do established perrienials need covered if it dips below freezing one night?

tototwo — Fri, 08 May 2020 13:52:04 GMT

Ahhh... I remember when I used to spend hours covering each of my zillions of hostas whenever the temperature dipped or spring snows fell. One day I said, "To heck with it" and did not cover them. Like most perennials, they looked a little bit puny for a short time, but bounced back eventually. Yours should be fine too.

We're supposed to have frost tonight and tomorrow morning. Spring on the Great Plains.

Re: Do established perrienials need covered if it dips below freezing one night?

catter70 — Fri, 08 May 2020 17:04:40 GMT

I'm in Eastern Pa. and we're to get very cold tonight and possible wet snow. My lilac already got ruined by previous cold snap. It had more buds on it than I had ever seen and only a couple of them bloomed. My bleeding heart has been bloomed for a couple weeks and hosta's are up. Done with covering anything. What will be, will be.

Re: Do established perrienials need covered if it dips below freezing one night?

Lorik62 — Fri, 08 May 2020 17:32:48 GMT

I have a large amount of marigolds and flowering vinca and wondered if I need to cover them? I live in Central Va. and our temperatures overnight are supposed to dip into the 30's.

Re: Do established perrienials need covered if it dips below freezing one night?

Mom2Dogs — Fri, 08 May 2020 22:41:54 GMT

I also jumped the gun and planted...I knew better but it was a nice day and I just did it....I will cover my pots tonight. I have clematis ready to bloom, I hope they don't get zapped. They are hard to cover.

I'd love to have 3 days in a row of warm weather.

Re: Do established perrienials need covered if it dips below freezing one night?

goldensrbest — Fri, 08 May 2020 21:35:44 GMT

@Lorik62 wrote:
I have a large amount of marigolds and flowering vinca and wondered if I need to cover them? I live in Central Va. and our temperatures overnight are supposed to dip into the 30's.

Anunals ,should be covered.

Re: Do established perrienials need covered if it dips below freezing one night?

JustJazzmom — Sat, 09 May 2020 02:19:47 GMT

With the dropping temps, I might bring in pepper plants if not planted in the ground yet, or dig them out of the ground & put into a pot temporarily.

I debated covering the lettuce I planted, but I'm going to chance it since they are cool season veggies.

Re: Do established perrienials need covered if it dips below freezing one night?

tototwo — Sat, 09 May 2020 09:41:01 GMT

@Mom2Dogs-- I agree! I'd love to have 3 days in a row of warm weather!

I caved and covered my pots on the porch (geraniums and million bells petunias). It's 37 degrees right now - not as cold as predicted. But I pity those east of us who are supposed to get snow today.

Re: Do established perrienials need covered if it dips below freezing one night?

gardenman — Sat, 09 May 2020 11:00:08 GMT

No snow overnight, but the outside water is all frozen. On May ninth. Yikes! I think it's this coming Thursday night where we have another big temp dip, then things finally look like they'll smooth out a bit and I can get things planted.

Re: Do established perrienials need covered if it dips below freezing one night?

Nataliesgramma — Sat, 09 May 2020 12:19:23 GMT

I covered everything that I could except the Iris and Day lilies because it was going down to 27 degrees now and some snow was possible according to the 6 O'clock news. I emptied the bird baths and took in the Hummingbird feeders.....just to be safe.

I think we have one more day coming with low temps like this.

Re: Do established perrienials need covered if it dips below freezing one night?

gardenman — Sat, 09 May 2020 12:59:14 GMT

We've got a forecast low of 39 tonight, then 42 on Tuesday and 45 on Wednesday, then we finally climb out of the cold snap and get back to more normal temperatures from Thursday on. Thursday is the fourteenth, out last anticipated frost date here, but typically from the latter half of April on, we're frost-free. Mother Nature is taking it right to the last possible day this year.

A freeze a couple of weeks ago even hit a few of my plants in the cold-frame which never happens. It's been a weird year in the old garden.

Re: Do established perrienials need covered if it dips below freezing one night?

Kitty Galore — Sat, 23 May 2020 12:42:59 GMT

we too had frost 2 days in a row , I was so worried about our red maple as we lost one 2 yrs ago due to warm in April then a blast of cold when it was just leafing out . No way to cover though. Did cover the hydrangeas they just started growing along with our day lillies that were pretty far along in the blooming. Covered them with flower pots , worked well . I feel that our Flamingo dappled Willis shrubs aren't going to do well this season as they are just all green , no dappled pink, ivory, green as they should be right now . I think the problem is they had started growing and had been the tricolor too early cause we had a few warmer days early, in March so they started to open too early . The snow afterwards and the blast of cold and frost made them think summer was over as they do turn all green in early fall. Fertilized and hoping maybe the color comes back . Sad as I enjoy the color they bring through the summer . We do have other flamingo Willows a different variety and they are looking beautiful ! Hit and with Mother Nature this year .