Freeze warning means trouble for plants

As temperatures dip below freezing Tuesday night, sensitive flowers may be at risk for damage. The Triangle usually receives it's last freeze around April 1, which puts us a few days behind schedule.

A Freeze Warning has been issued for the entire viewing area through Wednesday morning.

Temperatures will likely drop down to the upper 20s and lower 30s early Wednesday, before warming to the 60s by the afternoon.

Here are a few tips to keep your plants safe during the temperature drop.

• Bring any sensitive potted plants inside. Plants like geraniums and petunias are particularly sensitive to the cold.
• Cover plants outside with a frost blanket. Old sheets and towels can be used, but the best thing to use is a frost blanket, available at many garden shops.
• Remove the cover after the sun is up. A blanket will trap the heat inside, and may overheat the flowers after the sun is up.
• Water the flowers before a frost or freeze. Soil with a higher saturation freezes slower than dry soil.
• Plug in old Christmas lights and lay them on the soil near the plants, before putting over a cover. They will give off enough heat to keep your plants safe.

Another blast of cold air is expected late in the week, on Friday and Saturday, which could prompt a hard freeze for some of the northern counties. Stay tuned to the ABC 11 First Alert Forecast for more details on that in the days ahead.