Protect your plants, crops ahead of freezing temps in SWFL this weekend

Everyone’s talking about it, whether you live here or vacationing here, plunging –temperatures are on the way this weekend.

Freeze Watches have been posted for areas along and east of I-75. They go into effect Saturday night through Sunday morning as we’re expecting lows to plummet to and below freezing for our inland zones by sunrise Sunday.

So now is the time to protect people, pets, pipes, and plants.

Crops like peppers and tomatoes could be damaged during the cold spell, which can lead to a shift in prices.

For your potted plants at home, you should move them indoors if you can’t cover them with a sheet or blanket.

If they’re in the ground, you’ll want to cover them to prevent frost.

Stephen Brown is with the UF/IFAS Extension Services Lee County. He said, “We’ve been having this for many, many years. It comes and goes maybe every 5, 6, 7 years we get something really cool, but look; look around you everything looks good. In six months, you won’t even, four months, you won’t even notice that we had bad weather.”

As for you, it might not be beach weather this weekend – unless you’re used to the cold.

When cold weather is in the forecast, it is important to remember the “5 P’s of Cold Weather Safety.”

 The 5 P’s are:

Protect People: Remember to dress in layers and wear a hat and gloves. It is important to try to stay out of the wind and to stay dry. Also, remember to check on young children and the elderly who are the most sensitive to cold weather.

Protect Pets: If cold weather is in the forecast, be sure to bring outdoor pets inside or give them a warm shelter to stay in.

Protect Plants: Cover cold sensitive plants to protect them from the dangerous temperatures.

Protect Pipes: Cover pipes and allow outdoor faucets to slowly drip to prevent from freezing and breaking.

Practice Fire Safety: Use safe heating sources indoors. Do not use fuel-burning devices such as grills; they release carbon monoxide, which is a deadly gas. Also, make sure to use space heaters according to their instructions and be attentive to open flames.