At what temperature should you cover your plants at night

As winter wanes and patches of bare ground open up in the fields, my green thumb gets crazy-itchy. I am eager to get back in the garden and get my eyes full of living, growing things again.

With the season’s change, however, comes the age-old game of chicken that gardeners play with the weather — determining the right time to put our tender annuals in the ground.

What to cover plants with for frost

A daring tomato-planter may throw caution to the wind and set out starts early, and then an unexpected frost can set them back to square one.

A cautious planter may be sure to get those sensitive sprouts out well after the threat of a freeze, but will have to endure the sight of their neighbor picking ripe, red tomatoes while their own plants have just begun pushing out buds.

And as the summer turns to fall, the harvesting season of those hard-fought for fruits is hounded by the threat of the returning cold.

But we’re not helpless. There’s a huge array of options gardeners have innovated through the centuries (and learned how to protect plants) from s

best way to cover plants in cold weather

how to protect plants in freezing weather