ORLANDO, Fla. – Central Florida is heading into one of its coldest stretches in years, with a rare hard freeze increasingly likely Sunday and Monday mornings.
What you do now could make all the difference for your garden.
After several days of very chilly conditions, a powerful surge of Arctic air is expected to arrive this weekend, bringing wind chills into the single digits for some. Because of this, many gardeners have already had to cover or bring in plants that are sensitive to frost.
Big question: should you cover your plants? With colder air pushing in, many locations will need to take that step. Even a few hours of cold can cause damage to sensitive plants.
If you have tender vegetables, tropical plants, or newly planted seedlings, covering them or bringing them indoors can make a big difference in protecting them from cold stress and potential loss.
General rules of thumb
- Light freeze (30–32°F): 2–4 hours can damage or kill very tender plants (basil, tomatoes, tropicals).
- Moderate freeze (26–29°F): 1–2 hours can seriously damage many tender plants; several hours can kill them.
- Hard freeze (25°F or colder): 30 minutes to 1 hour can kill most frost-sensitive plants outright.
Plants that need protection sooner
- Warm-season vegetables, such as tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers and squash
- Herbs, especially basil
- Tropical plants and houseplants that have been moved outdoors
- Newly planted seedlings
Timing tips
- Cover plants in the late afternoon or early evening to hold in warmth
- Remove covers in the morning once temperatures rise and sunlight returns
What to use
- Frost cloth or garden fabric (best option)
- Old sheets or blankets (make sure plastic does not touch the plants)
- Buckets or cardboard boxes for smaller plants
After a cold snap, watering is always a good step. Applying water to the lawn after a freeze can help thaw the soil and support recovery for grass and plants that may have been stressed by the cold.
Patience is important when bringing a lawn back to life. Avoid fertilizing right away, as feeding too early can trigger new growth before cold weather has fully passed, leaving plants vulnerable to further damage.