If the pips are still tightly wound and not unfurling I do nothing.

tj

If it's just frost, they will most likely be fine. If it's going to be lower than 29 or so, I would do the extra protection.

People use all kinds of things. If it's just a few degrees, then I usually use a floating row cover. I've used upside down flower pots. I've put them in the shed or garage (i grow in pots.). Other people turn cardboard boxes over them. That's about all I can think of right now, but you get the idea.

bk

It is supposed to get down to 34 here Saturday night, so it could get a few degrees colder. I have a few old clay pots I;m going to cover the ones that have already unfurled, and may use tarp and leaves for the rest.

Be careful with the covering and removing the tarp and leaves. If you damage the pips, then you'll have damaged leaves all season.

bk

I don't cover pips...but I have lots with leaves and will put pots over them. I save pots for this. We are usually a few degrees warmer than you and I'm seeing 29 on Sunday night and 31 on Monday here in Memphis. Might mound up dry leaves on pips if the forecast holds. More worried about hydrangeas....they are really budding and harder to protect....Happens every Spring....:(

I had daffodils sprouting last Christmas about 2 inches high. Valentines Day it was minus 11 in the morning and there was no harm as the sprouts never opened up. Perennials live in ground that gets frozen two feet or so here. As tj said, I wouldn't do anything unless they were unfurled. Even 30 degrees or so wouldn't be a problem if some leaves were unfurled. At worst a few leaves will freeze up and take a while to grow out.

Jon

Jon, I disagree with you. Cold damage stays with you all season. When you can spend 10 minutes sticking a pot or a box or a blanket over a budding plant, why wouldn't you? Obviously, sometimes it's too cold for blankets, leaves, etc. to help. Sometimes, you have too many already up to cover them all. But, when you can keep the damage at bay, why wouldn't you?

bk

"When you can keep the damage at bay, why wouldn't you?" Exactly!

For those of us who don't like to see signs of damage on their hostas, we will do what it takes to protect them. I was one of those who had too many to cover up last year but I dragged out the linen anyway, blankets, a box or two...and plenty of nursery pots of all sizes saved for that purpose. (Three quarters of my 162 hostas are planted and the rest in pots.)

Last year we had such a heavy frost that even with all the sheets n blankets some hostas got nipped......a reminder for the rest of the season.

In my zone 5 .. if tips are tightly wound but already somewhat elongated I still cover them if I can because some may unfurl rather gnarled and remain that way for the rest of the season. Guacamole suffered two years ago. It was still potted but I did not protect it. It didn't look like Guacamole at all - for the rest of the year. Those that get distorted have a difficult time unfurling and may tear during the process. These are only my experiences. I am fussy about my hostas, can't you tell? LOL

Follow your first instinct - it usually is bang on!

P.S. Koffman, it would also help to minimize effects of frost if you water the area beforehand.Keep frost at bay

I think damage at down to 30 degrees would be minimal if any. I just don't think it is worth worrying about: only the strong survive in my garden.

Seriously, I wouldn't worry unless there was a chance of going below 28 or so. Now there is a difference between hitting that temp early in the morning or having it last all day. A prolonged period of this low a temperature would have me doing some covering up, but I think that would be a rare occurrence.

Well I just saw the forecast for Sunday / Monday. Northeaster with 5-8 inches of snow here. Oh well.

Koffman, our forecast is looking better! Hopefully yours will too...

Mine are covered with a few inches of snow at the moment!

LOL! Don, I still have a couple of feet of snow to cover mine! I think I must have more than anyone else?

It was 88 degrees F yesterday. Definitely no snow here, although it's supposed to drop to the 60's over the weekend.

bk

Snow forecast for here, too. Why does this always happen when my Spring Break starts? I hope to be out in the yard every year and then every year, temps drop just in time for our break! Snow often arrives as well. It is just so maddening!

It has been below freezing for a few days here so I am covering everything with 10 inches of heavy wet snow tonight, just in case. Snow warning

:o

We've had so much high wind this winter, I was a bit shocked to see how much topsoil was blown away in the hosta beds. Lots of crowns were exposed a bit too much. Today, I covered many hostas with a topsoil/compost blend.

Exactly what happened to mine as well Don. I also covered them with topsoil and manure. My Gentle Giant's roots were exposed, and I don't see any pips coming from it yet, hope it's ok.

Anyone else tall enough to ride the March Weather Rollercoaster ...

Brought all 130+ pots into the garage on Friday since they were calling for snow this Sunday and colder nighttime temps up until then.

We didn't get any snow (not complaining) and the two I have that started emerging out of the ground I covered with plastic utility buckets.

Tomorrow, I leave for Savannah Georgia for a friend's wedding and will be moving the potted hostas back out onto the porch since I don't want to leave them in the dark garage unattended for a week. Many have started to show their pips.

Temp are supposed to be nice here out, so I'm not worried about anymore low nights or flash freezes. (I'm too trusting).

Should be a proper hostagasm when I return next week though !!!

Enjoy Savannah, it's beautiful! We just got back from a Cuba tour to a cold dreary Sunday, but no frost. I have some already unfurling. Stiletto got moved to a temporary bed two weeks ago so the power linemen wouldn't trample her. She must have thought that was the wake up call because she's already leafed out.

Kathy

Have a great time at the wedding, Ludi - dance your buns off!!! Lol. It is great to see you back here! Haven't had much of a chance to welcome you back as I'm playing nurse to my friend yet. Can't wait to see a photo of your hostas this year - especially Bridal Falls, you enabler! ;-)

Belated Congrats on the promotion AND the new house! Two big WOWS! :o).

Jo