Freeze warning for the Boston area from 12:00-9:00 a.m. Monday.
If you have time to get into your garden today, here are steps you can take to protect plants and give them a good start for winter:
- Water plants during the warm part of the day today. The moist soil will buffer nighttime temperatures. Evergreens in particular need consistent fall watering to protect them from winterburn that many plants experienced this past winter.
- Bring potted houseplants in for the night if they have vacationed outdoors for the summer. Tender tropicals like rubber plants, peace lilies, and Norfolk pines, as well as Mediterranean citrus, olives, and figs, can be damaged by temps below 40 degrees.
- Harvest any remaining tomatoes, basil, and beans. Winter squash may also be damaged by light frost, but can be covered with a blanket for the night. Cold temperatures (above 25 degrees) make leafy greens and root vegetables sweeter, so these can wait until late fall for harvest.
- This week: Lift cannas, dahlias, gladiolas, and other tender bulbs and store them in a cool dry area as soon as their leaves have been blackened by the first frost.
As always, feel free to email, tweet, or hit us up on Facebook if you have any questions or need an extra hand!
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