Frost and Freeze Warning for Mid-Columbia Tonight

Well, it figures. We put in a few flowers and our tomato plants yesterday. And that was with my wife asking if it was going to be too cold at night...I didn't grab my phone and check the weather, I just said, Naaaaaaaaw. I really just thought we were done with all of that. So off to Walmart and Home Depot we went! But protecting your plants isn't really hard and should only take a few minutes of your time. If your plants are small enough, a well-placed bucket over them will do nicely (I would place a brick or piece of wood on top so it doesn't blow away). Another simple way to cover without crushing is with a couple of stakes, then drape with an old sheet or towel. If you have a tomato plant cage, try wrapping plastic wrap around it. As long as you wrap higher than the plant, it will be protected from the wind and give young plants a greenhouse effect. I guess the smudge pots will be fired up overnight. They warm orchards and keep the blossoms from freezing. No blossoms, no fruit. Kennewick is officially looking at 33 degrees overnight, but we all know that a dip below the freezing mark is always possible, and the difference in a Kennewick temp and West Richland temp can really mess up the garden. Walla Walla is looking at 37 overnight, so wineries and orchards should ideally be okay.