Agree about old bed sheets, towels, etc. I haunt yard sales periodically and keep a stash handy from these purchases. Good old newspaper is one of the best. The only problem with that is the tendency to blow around. Plastic can be worse than nothing if it touches the plant.

Don't be surprised if basil doesn't survive. Even temps below 40 will affect it adversely--especially when small & tender. If strawberries are in bud or bloom, I'd cover them.

Bring the potted plants iside the house or garage if possible. The coldest temps often occur near dawn, so don't set the pots out in the morning if you are leaving for work early.

Watering well and setting buckets of water among the plants before covering them helps alot. Just don't ask me to explain the physics involved with that :)

If your temps stay at or above the predictions, the plants should do well. If they drop to 28F or lower it s alot harder to get things through.

I agree the basil may be difficult to get through. The leaves will most likely turn dark no matter what you do, but the plant might still be alive and could grow back.

Good luck!

Denninmi took the words right out of my mouth, starting with "Here in Michigan..." Heck, up here, the average last frost date is May 26, but the range is so wide that there is really no way to plan. Sure, I may get a frost on June 1st, but that is after 2 Warm, frost-free weeks. Weeks that I won't waste waiting for a maybe-frost.

So, yes, never, ever, throw away an old blanket, sheet towel, tarp, etc. I don't like using those small tomato cages but I have tons of them from a MIL who love to go garage saling. They are great for laying down between plants to hold up the sheet.

And yes, even a sheet is enough protection for a light frost. It isn't the cold that kills the plants. It is the formation of ice crystals on the leaves and stems. A sheet will take on the ice chrystals, leaving your plants safe for another day. Kay.

ps. Basil. In the garden. In APRIL! I am sooooo jealous.

can I ask something on this topic? I have rows of new veggies (turnip greens, mustard greens, corn about 1 inch tall, snap beans, a few peppers that accidentally went out early) I used the plastic containers that you see on the racks at the garden center the ones that hold the pots with plants in them...I had enough the last frost scare we had, to put them over the entire row of greens, then I covered that with 2 comforters...but if what you are saying is true, the real goal is simply to keep frost from touching the plants..will these containers alone be enough? what about old plastic pots turned over, (they usually have holes or slots in the bottom for drainage) is this ok or should there be something covering them?

Thanks, guys!

Okay, you've all convinced me that my basil might not make it even covered. Since they're only about six inches tall, I may just take them out of their row and put them in large styrofoam cups to bring inside. What a pain! But easier than losing them and starting over again. I'll also bring in the things in containers.

Now, how to protect the flower seedlings out front and I'll be all set. Some sort of (unsightly) framework to lay sheets over will probably be what I end up with.

In the high deserts temperatures are quite unpredictable e.g. Friday morning just before sunrise it was 28° and 12 hours earlier it had been 70°.

I had flowers broadcast in a border by a fence which had four true leaves. Those near large stones did not freeze. Those in open spaces froze dead.

It doesn't take much protection if you have a short period of freezing temperatures.

LOL, seems like the Michigan gardeners know all about frosts!

Anney, if you have chaise lounge lawn chairs you can recline them and set them in among your plants. Let the blankets or whatever drape over them. Easy and quick and I bet yours look very nice...just kinda weird to have them in your flowerbeds and draped with blankets. If you are expecting frosts on successive nights you can leave the chairs in there and just pull off the blankets...I've even seen people keep the covers on during the day if it isn't too warm. If your coverings are large you can use the taller regular lawn chairs, also.

All this talk of frost and covering makes me remember why I'm trying not to rush things this year. But that is sure hard when you get a few nice days.

rjinga -- yes, turned over pots work for light protection on smallish numbers of plants. It works like the proverbial hotcap. Just make sure they are good size so there it open space around the plant.

(I've even used them sometimes to protect a newly set plant from wind damage. Rock(s) on top to keep pot from tipping.)

A note on using newspaper or anything else that may blow around. If you have enough wind to blow the newspaper around you probably will not have any problem with frost. The cold air must settle to form frost and any wind will usually prevent this. Of course, if it gets too cold, NOTHING other than irrigation will save it.
Here we can have frost on our cranberries well into June, and I have personally seen it as late as the 4th of July. Most gardens are well above the elevations that have this problem, but most cranberry bogs are at VERY low evelations (like 25-30 feet above sea level), at least in this area.
JMO,
Tom

When I had my scare, I ran out and bought supplies and errected a plastic-covered PVC hoop cover over one bed (I had planned on building one anyway to extend my growing season into fall). But for small individual seedlings, i just covered them with plastic cups or an old single pane window I use as a coldframe for seeds and young seedlings. It was last second panic but they all came through with flying colors. Hope yours do the same.

Here is a link that might be useful: Sinfonian's garden adventure!

Oh, boy, a chance to show my video!

With two cold nights coming up, all the blankets will be busy.

Here is a link that might be useful: Stretching the Spring Season