I'm sure someone who knows more will chime in, I'm really new to gardening and WSing, but I'm pretty sure if it's going to freeze that any tender annual sprouts will need to come inside, or get covered with blankets, but any non-germinated containers can just stay outside (I think?) I am planning on bringing my sprouted containers inside and leaving the rest where they are. In the last cold snap, my night-scented stock and some lettuce had sprouted and most of those sprouts died in that cold. I have a bunch of bulbs that are up and in containers, so those will go in the garage and I'll cover the ones upstairs on the balcony. Good luck!

Laura, are the containers already sprouted? If yes, what are they? If anything tender has sprouted, such as marigolds, cosmos, zinnias, basil, or tomatoes, provide frost protection, an old blanket or row cover, or move them to an UNHEATED garage. For jugs that haven't sprouted yet, just make sure they are secure. That is why I put my 2L bottles in crates, so the winds don't blow them around the yard. Never had a problem with the milk jugs though.

The wind is gusting to around 35 mph right now, and we are supposed to get rain changing over to snow tonight, though we aren't supposed to have much, if any, accumulation. All of my containers are staying right where they are, even though 42 out of 82 have already sprouted.

Bonnie

Whoops, Sister K, we were posting at the same time. I'm surprised to hear that you lost lettuce sprouts. Mine sprouted a month ago, and we've had quite a few nights since then that were in the 20's, and they are all doing just fine. It's usually one of the first things to germinate each year, and I never give it any extra protection.

The good news is that the chances are not every seed has sprouted yet, so if you lose a couple in a cold spell, you may still see more germination in that container later on.

The cold air coming down from Canada will not be ultra-cold. Not this year. We should see maybe a week-ish of relatively cooler weather and two, maybe three noticeably cold nights, and not all in a row, but a killing deep freeze? Depends where you are and how you pushed it, but one night of well below freezing shouldn't be wrecking your plans.

The 'cold' will start this evening, but 'cold' is relative. I went out last evening and put the ornamental grass clippings over about 6-8 of the less tender plants and held it down with heavier branches from pruning.

That's all this old weatherman is doing SE of Denver. I expect that next week I'll be planting cool season seeds in the garden - I have a new variety of lettuce mix - Red Wings - in anticipation of their long playoff run and I'm ready to go. The wall-o-waters are coming out sometime in early April, when I find time in between traveling.

:o)

Dan

We whiffed on the moisture here, but had a heckofa dust storm yesterday, everything is a lovely shade of tan.

It's supposed to be in the low 20's at night, all next week.

Dan, I grew that Red Wing mix a couple years ago - makes a beautiful salad.

Can't believe "they" are still saying snow is coming most every day later in the week; oh if it were only true! But the winds are gonna be fierce again, so batten down the hatches boys and girls. Tie down those WS milk jugs and bring yer small pets and children indoors to the warm! The sprouts will be happy in the garage. lol...

Thanks for your thoughts, everyone!

Looks like we "missed the bullet" on that storm, as some would say.

Since none of my seeds have sprouted yet, I just made sure the jugs were secure and left them out. The wind was sooo horrible last night, I was sure they must've been blown all the way to Nebraska! However all were safe and accounted for when I looked out this morning. *whew!*