Anything annual, tropical or tender (like Stachys) should be covered. Be sure to have the covers off before the temps hit 60-65F. tomorrow. Most perennials can take a freeze as long as the ground doesn't freeze hard. That's not likely to happen this time of year. Good luck! We had a freeze on the 15th, the frost free date for zone 4b, which is what they keep saying we are...NOT! (Our temps mirror zone 3b for coldness). I lost all the tomatoes and pepper plants and all the leaves on my new Weeping Mulberry tree curled up and turned crispy. I hope it will recover, that was big $$$! It was to replace the weeping Cherry that I lost to the cold two winters ago. The two new Hydrangea Standards (Limelight) came through fine though, thank goodness, they will replace a Flame Red Maple and a Little Leaf Linden that the goats stripped. I had just received a huge order from Bluestone and set that outside that afternoon and those are looking a bit droopy. I hope to get everything in the ground on Wednesday, maybe they'll all perk back up then. I had no idea it was going to freeze, I've been too busy to even look at the weather, sheesh! MeMo

I never tried "pure Mel's mix". I merely incorporated vermiculite, peat and extra compost into my existing soil. (After all, I'd spent the previous 5 years of gardening amending my clay soil...I didn't want all the previous effort to go to waste, besides, I had finally gotten my mix to the level I was almost happy with it....it was crumbly...full of worms...and wasn't as compacted as it had been.) I have had no problems with moisture retention (of course, that's probably in large part due to the level of clay content) even when I don't water quite as often as I should (life can get down right ridiculous sometimes!). My garden takes only a small step back, but bounces right back when I water, or a big storm comes through. advaya, Your plant choices look perfect. Some others to consider: Parsnips and rutabagas...all root crops do well in the fall garden. Also, they tend to be sweeter after they are nipped by a hard frost. The starches turn to sugars so that they can survive the winter! Personally, I don't even harvest them until I am going to eat them. I just mulch over the top, and if a really cold snap hits....wait for it to thaw out. They are great!

Not just chemicals, but heated aggregate and water may be necessary, as well as adequate insulation afterwards. My biggest concern though would be the footings. If they have been poured in above freezing weather, have they been protected for frost afterwards with straw, hay or blankets? If they're being poured continuous with the walls, is the ground below free of frost? Has the ground been covered? Or excavated just before the pour? Frost can penetrate five feet down in very cold regions. (You don't say where you're located.) A careful gc and forming contractor will check all these things. Unfortunately, I've come across more than a few who answer every question with, "No problem. We do it this way all the time."

Frost can get under the slab and footings and heave them up. Depending on how much insulation and hay was put down will determine how much frost has gotten under the slab. Was there foam installed under the slab before the pour? Soil condition also control how expansive the soil is when introduced to frost/freeze. There is no way to tell how much frost is in the foundation and if there is any damage until you clean up the blankets and hay. Then, you exposed the foundation is subject to frost/freeze heave while the framing is going on. I would get it capped off as quickly as possible, and some sort of temporary heat n the basement while the upper level is being framed.