Frost Cloth 101: What I Actually Use on Cold Nights
The first frost warning always seems to come on a school night. So I keep everything I need in one tote by the back door.
by Joyce ·
check under it by 10am
The first frost warning always seems to come on a school night. So I keep everything I need in one tote by the back door.
What's in the toteclothespins hold it in wind!
Medium-weight frost cloth. It gives you about 4 to 6 degrees of protection. The heavier stuff blocks too much light if you forget to pull it off.
Wire hoops. Nine-gauge wire cut to about 6 feet makes a low tunnel over a 4-foot bed.
Clothespins and bricks. The wind is what steals your cover, not the cold.
Old bedsheets. Fine in a pinch. Just never use plastic that touches the leaves, because it freezes right through.
from the garden, this year
How I cover a bed
Put the cloth on in late afternoon, while the soil still holds the day's warmth. Let it reach all the way to the ground on every side. That trapped ground heat is the whole trick. Pull it back mid-morning once it's above freezing.
What doesn't need itcheck under it by 10am
Kale, collards, spinach and garlic shrug off a light frost. Kale tastes sweeter after one. Save your cloth for lettuce, chard and anything you're nursing along.
