Frost Hits Early May: A Gardener's Guide to Surviving the Chill
After May snowfall, gardeners can anticipate water accumulation on window sills as per weather predictors.
Fret not, gardeners! Even an unexpected cold snap doesn't mean the end of your harvest. Understand who's at risk and who can endure the cold to keep your garden blooming.
Weather Forecast
Prepare for instability in the Central Federal District from May 1st to 3rd: rain, wet snow, heavy rain, and wind up to 17 m/s. Temperatures will be below the norm, with drops of 2–5 degrees in northern regions and 1–4 degrees in the south. Night frosts down to -5°C are possible in northern and eastern areas, according to the Hydrometeorological Center.
Vulnerable Species
Be extra cautious with blooming trees:
- Apple and pear blossoms die at -1.5°C
- Plums - at -0.5°C
- Young rose shoots turn black at -2°C
If the buds have already opened, some of the harvest may be lost. But worry not - the trees will bounce back.
Frost-Enduring Plants
In the chill, these plants remain strong:
- Daffodils and tulips tolerate up to -8°C
- Currant - up to -7°C
- Hydrangea paniculata withstands -5°C briefly
Root crops like carrots and potatoes won't flinch at cold temperatures in the ground.
Saving Your Garden
- Smudging. Light bonfires around the garden's perimeter to create a warm smoky blanket. Be cautious - follow fire safety measures.
- Coverings. Cover shrubs, roses, and pot plants with agrofabric, old sheets, or blankets. Temporarily move delicate pot plants indoors or to a greenhouse.
- Extra protection in the greenhouse. Lay a second layer of plastic or spanbond directly over the beds - let the greenhouse effect work its magic.
Personal Experience
Last year, the author covered an apple tree with an old fleece blanket on a clear night. Despite the frost that blanketed the whole garden in the morning, the apple tree survived. In autumn, they harvested a bountiful crop. Trust your instincts and your thermometer sometimes.
Remember:
- Clear night - to frosts
- Cloudy - to thaw
- Panic - bad advice
Even if a few flowers don't make it, your plants will recover. Spring brings hope, not despair.
Insights
- Frost-Resistant Plants: In addition to hardy trees, plants like peonies, marigolds, larkspur, sweet peas, calendulas, cold-season vegetables, perennials, and shrubs can withstand the early chill. Marigolds should be planted in zones 2-6 after a light frost, and brassicas can be sown 2-4 weeks before the last frost.
- Protection Strategies: Apart from coverings, avoid overwatering plants, delay warm-season plants, and mulch perennials to insulate roots during sudden temperature drops. When sowing marigolds or vegetables, monitor local frost dates and prioritize cold-hardy varieties in regions with lower frost tolerance like Alberta.
- The weather forecast warns of frost this week, especially in the Central Federal District, with temperatures dropping below normal and night frosts down to -5°C possible.
- Pear trees are particularly vulnerable to frost, dying at -1.5°C, so it's important to take precautions to protect them.
- On the other hand, daffodils, tulips, currants, and hydrangea paniculata are frost-enduring plants, able to withstand temperatures down to -8°C, -7°C, -5°C briefly, and -5°C respectively.
- If you're growing peonies, marigolds, larkspur, sweet peas, calendulas, cold-season vegetables, perennials, or shrubs, they can withstand the early chill, and marigolds should be planted after a light frost in zones 2-6.
