Gardeners in Tennessee should be wary of planting anything this weekend. I know the temptation to put things in the ground is great (it’s eating away at me too) but just look below at the temperatures for Sunday and Monday night. According to The Weather Channel it dips very close to freezing. A much better day to plant would be Wednesday April 16th which is the day after the typical last freeze in Tennessee. It looks like we will be safe from the deadly freeze we had last year but you may want to cover up anything that has a bunch of new green growth. Last years temperatures dipped into the teens. When you cover things up cloth works best but plastic will work as long as it isn’t touching the plant. The cold will go right through the plastic to your precious plants. Avoid the temptation to stop by the nursery this weekend, or if you do put the plants you buy in a safe place like a garage window until Wednesday. There is never a guarantee that it won’t freeze after the 15th but it’s usually a good guide to go by. For Tennessee, taxes and plants actually go together!
Tennessee 10 Day Forecast as reported by The Weather Channel
(Date, Forecast, Temperature, Chance of Precipitation)
Tonight Apr 10, T-Storms / Wind Late, 64°, 100 %,
Friday Apr 11, Scattered T-Storms / Wind, 73°/46°, 50 %,
Saturday Apr 12, Partly Cloudy / Wind, 57°/39°, 20 %,
Sunday Apr 13, Few Showers, 50°/35°, 30 %,
Monday Apr 14, Partly Cloudy, 50°/34°, 20 %,
Tuesday Apr 15, Sunny, 61°/39°, 10 %,
Wednesday Apr 16, Sunny, 68°/49°, 10 %,
Thursday Apr 17, Sunny, 71°/50°, 0 %,
Friday Apr 18, Sunny, 74°/53°, 10 %,
Of course you know the saying, if you don’t like the weather in Tennessee wait a few minutes. It’ll change!
They keep changing the lows here for Monday and Tuesday nights from 36, to 33, now to 32. We shall see how it turns out.
Taxes and Planting go together. That is funny but a good way to remember.
In Germany I remember May 1 being the day to plant window boxes! May Day….
It is always difficult for me to hold out in planting in the spring. Down here in GA we have so many mild days in late Feb through March then boom, a freezing night. I always jump the gun and plant too early but this year I was a good girl and did not plant. I will pass the credit along to a tonsillectomy. I cannot wait to get into the yard and play. Maybe by this weekend…
On your excellent suggestion, I did not plant today. I know I will not be sorry but those plants are still nagging me. When will these late freezes end???
Hi Frances and Skeeter, My blog comment section always closes me out at night but it works on other blogs. I need to check it out. Does this ever happen to you Dave? It just started a week ago.
This is a very dangerous time for me: all the perennials are popping up, things are starting to look all green and pretty, and every year I start thinking, “What if I just pop one or two things in the ground . . .”
Then I remember prior years of covering plants with buckets, sheets, plastic, and then the sight of my lovely tomato plants all frost-burnt. *sigh* I will be strong. I will. 😉
So the draping of the south begins. Oh well, it’s too wet now to think of digging in heavy clay. I want to take a walk and then the skies open up and a deluge of rain makes getting out very unattractive.
gail
Same thing here in north Alabama. I’m glad I haven’t planted my containers or vegetables yet. They say we could have a frost Monday morning. And bad storms today!