The forecast calls for overnight lows in the upper 30s in the coastal areas south of I-10 and the lower 30s north of the Interstate for the next two nights. The cold air is really kicking up strong winds right now. The wind and cold contribute to the dehydration of veggie plants, so before the afternoon is over I’ll put some water on the garden. You should try and do the same for your vegetable garden.

The wet soil will also help to keep the plants a little warmer tonight. I don’t like to water when it is real windy because the plants can more easily be blown down when the soil is wet, especially if the leaves are weighted down by overhead watering. So I’ll wait as long as I can, hoping for the winds to die down a bit.

If you have cold sensitive plants still growing, such as bush beans or tomatoes, you might want to consider protecting them from the cold and wind, especially if you are north of I-10.  Floating row covers and pins can be very handy to have here in north Florida, where vegetable gardeners often push the limits by planting warm season veggies early in the spring or late in the fall.

Also, I use row covers to protect cool season veggies such as cauliflower and lettuce plants from freezing temperatures during the winter and early spring, as they don’t tolerate freezing temperatures the way cabbage, Brussels sprouts and broccoli typically do.

I purchased my floating row covers and pins from Gardens Alive.

Burr!