How do you deal with weather changes?
In my Zone 5 climate, spring in particular can be a real challenge. It used to be you never planted in my area until May 31st if you wanted to make sure your crops were safe from frost.In the last few years out climate has changed, plus I get impatient to plant and cheat the weather by using row covers, cold frames, hot beds and other creative garden covers.
This spring we had a beautiful early spring with temperatures above normal and many people planted early. Well today we had a cold front move in and anyone who doesn’t have row covers or other “garden cheaters” may loose a few plants or have them slow down in growth. Many people don’t realize cold weather may not kill a plant but it may shock it so bad that it will produce poorly or not at all.
In the last few years I have switched primarily to raised bed gardens. I use frames on the beds so that I can put small holders on the insides of the frame to put PVC pipe. If I bend PVC pipe from one side of the frame to the other I can cover any garden area from cold wind sin a matter of minutes by simply covering the frame with plastic and pinning into place. I can extend my gardening season and have saved early crops using this method.
Two other simple and fast methods to protect plants are terra cotta plants or buckets placed over top of plants and one gallon milk jugs with the bottom of the jugs cut out. These jugs act as mini greenhouses. (Stake them in place so that the wind does not blow them away.)
If you have a weather tips please let me know. Mother Nature can be a challenge at times.
Tags: starting plants early, garden cheating, Mother Nature is a challenge, rwo covers, cold frames, raised beds, protecting tender plants
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