So the weather dude is forecasting a slopy wet weekend staartinf Friday night all the way through monday. He said lows Saturday night/Sunday morning will be in low 30's and Sunday night will be in the 20's with snow possible.. I have plants that need to go until at least Halloween. Is there anything I can do to help them survive the coming weekend? P.S this is in ky... Crazy weather huh?
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Crap. its going to freez! what to do?
- Thread starter tommy1984
- Start date
S
SeaMaiden
Row covers, raised off the plants is the best thing I can think of. I always plan on pulling by mid-October. Zone 7b.
Cosmic Surfer
Member
KY?! Must be in higher elevations but sometimes higher elevations down there have worse weather than up here in NE in I believe zone 6B. I have wanted to get row covers for the veggies for years now, maybe finally will soon, but I hear they provide a few degrees protection (like 3-5?) so sounds iffy with your temps in the 20's. Sounds to me like in your climate you should grow strains that finish by early October. Good luck!
Cover with a 3-6 ml plastic and put milk gallon jugs filled with hot water under the plastic but not touching the plants. You really only need to worry about 3-4 hour in the very early morning. so don't put jugs out at 7 or 9 and think your good. put them out at around midnight.
Slick.E.Boy
Member
Hi Tommy,
I am in a similar situation. I am in the middle of the coldest weather so far during my grow and am going to try to tough it out until halloween at least. I grew a smallish plant last year and was surprised to make it so easily to the end of October (I am @ 40 degrees lat. in front range of Colorado).
Here is a link to our 2011 October... we got about 12 evenings in the 30's and a couple in the 20's near the end, my plants were fine and probably could have gone longer. http://www.wunderground.com/history/airport/KBJC/2011/10/6/MonthlyHistory.html#calendar
Here is our 2012 October so far (getting much colder earlier than last year, hoping for some rebound) http://www.wunderground.com/history/airport/KBJC/2012/10/6/MonthlyHistory.html#calendar
here are the precautions I am taking this year (first time using them myself, so honestly no experience, just hoping for success...): I am growing in 15lb smart pots, so I wrapped them in thick blankets/sleeping bags. I cover the plants (w/ out touching them) w/ sheets in the evening (I have read that woven fabrics will be more effective than paper or plastic). I try to keep the soil moist (read that dry soil makes plants more susceptible to frost damage). Also, I am using a tiny space heater in very very short bursts when things seem really cold (like 10 minutes total moving it every minute around all three plants).
good luck; if I notice any major changes I will post it here.
I am in a similar situation. I am in the middle of the coldest weather so far during my grow and am going to try to tough it out until halloween at least. I grew a smallish plant last year and was surprised to make it so easily to the end of October (I am @ 40 degrees lat. in front range of Colorado).
Here is a link to our 2011 October... we got about 12 evenings in the 30's and a couple in the 20's near the end, my plants were fine and probably could have gone longer. http://www.wunderground.com/history/airport/KBJC/2011/10/6/MonthlyHistory.html#calendar
Here is our 2012 October so far (getting much colder earlier than last year, hoping for some rebound) http://www.wunderground.com/history/airport/KBJC/2012/10/6/MonthlyHistory.html#calendar
here are the precautions I am taking this year (first time using them myself, so honestly no experience, just hoping for success...): I am growing in 15lb smart pots, so I wrapped them in thick blankets/sleeping bags. I cover the plants (w/ out touching them) w/ sheets in the evening (I have read that woven fabrics will be more effective than paper or plastic). I try to keep the soil moist (read that dry soil makes plants more susceptible to frost damage). Also, I am using a tiny space heater in very very short bursts when things seem really cold (like 10 minutes total moving it every minute around all three plants).
good luck; if I notice any major changes I will post it here.
I bought some thick plastic yesterday but can not build a structure over these 9ft tall plants to keep it from touching them, So what would happen if I just through the plastic over them and let it drape down them for the night? Would they be bad for them if it touches them? at least it would keep the cold on the out side wouldn't it?
S
SeaMaiden
That's an invitation for mold. Plastic is going to keep almost all the moisture trapped, and your plants aren't going to stop transpiration entirely just because it's cold. That's why I said row covers, they're woven and that weave will allow moisture to escape. So, yes, in my opinion putting plastic that touches them is pretty much the worst thing you could do, I think it's better to just let the frost hit them.
I've never been much of an outdoor grower, but the little experience that I had with it as a kid @ 6000' led me to believe that mj is pretty damn frost-resistant. I finally pulled some when the snow started building up around them once, and they still seemed pretty damn happy from what I remember (it has been a hell of a long time ago). I do remember thinking that the cold made for some strong shit. Please let us know how things work out.
lil skunk baby
Member
if you let the plastic touch, it will burn the plant when the sun hits it. Try stacking bales of pine straw around each plant.
V
vonforne
If it is low temps with no moisture you will be fine. We had 28 last night and 28 tonight. Inspected the plants and no damage today. Looks like we will be running till the end of Oct. also. The high heat prolonged the flowering of everything this year.
V
V
Slick.E.Boy
Member
as I promised to report, these conditions on Oct. 7th got one of my girls. She probably wasn't sufficiently protected and was my slowest grower so I'm not too bummed. My other two are fine and an experimental ground plot seems fine as well. Looks like I completely disregarded the honorable Vonfornes' sage advice, "no moisture you will be fine" (see humidity below)
Temperature
Mean Temperature 40 °F
Max Temperature 53 °F
Min Temperature 26 °F
Moisture
Dew Point 20 °F
Average Humidity 58
Maximum Humidity 93
Minimum Humidity 14
Precipitation 0.00 in
for what it's worth, my "control" plot of unprotected tomatoes all perished. Yet I learned how to make fried green tomatoes.
Temperature
Mean Temperature 40 °F
Max Temperature 53 °F
Min Temperature 26 °F
Moisture
Dew Point 20 °F
Average Humidity 58
Maximum Humidity 93
Minimum Humidity 14
Precipitation 0.00 in
for what it's worth, my "control" plot of unprotected tomatoes all perished. Yet I learned how to make fried green tomatoes.
V
vonforne
We are at 39*. you must be a little further north with that humidity.
Last nights low was 36°, with humidity around 80%... There was a heavy frost on most everything this A.M. The rest of the week isnt looking very good... Gonna be hovering just above freezing temps all week. What would you all Suggest I do? I know many are close to finish, but some of the biggest plants need atleast 2 weeks yet.
I will be going out later today to check the last 2 gardens and make sure plants are still rocking.. Most likely im going to take down everything but the later sativas. What would you all suggest if
I will be going out later today to check the last 2 gardens and make sure plants are still rocking.. Most likely im going to take down everything but the later sativas. What would you all suggest if
S
SeaMaiden
Row covers or old sheets for frost protection. NOT plastic.
Now that the nights are cooling off significantly my tomatoes are pretty much done, too. Too bad, they had so much potential! Wanna share that fried green tomato recipe, Slick?
Now that the nights are cooling off significantly my tomatoes are pretty much done, too. Too bad, they had so much potential! Wanna share that fried green tomato recipe, Slick?
This might not help you but I thought it was kewl..
This might not help you but I thought it was kewl..
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=azkRWHP5hbk&feature=related
This might not help you but I thought it was kewl..
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=azkRWHP5hbk&feature=related
Fuck. Freezing temps right now.. Im going out tomorrow am to see the damage. same shit happened to me last season, an early freeze, and my whole season was ruined. FUCK ME. This is bad....
