Freeze vs. Hard Freeze?

littlesapphire 4/28/2012, 2:12 pm

Ok, so my area has been getting a lot of freeze warnings lately (several in the past weeks, plus one last night). But today I noticed we have a HARD freeze warning tonight. Is there a difference between a freeze warning and a hard freeze warning? Should I take extra special precautions with my plants? I've been covering my brassica with buckets and just hoping for the best with my strawberries, garlic and planted seeds. I'm scared now!

**camprn** 4/28/2012, 2:16 pm

Yes there most definitely is a difference between frost and a freeze; in this Thread there is a link that explains the science behind it.

cheyannarach 4/28/2012, 2:18 pm

That's what I have been doing and mine are doing great, Strawberries have also been left to fend for themselves and they are none to worse for the wear! Good luck.

littlesapphire 4/28/2012, 4:19 pm

Camp, thanks for the link, but we haven't been getting frost warnings, only freeze warning. It's just that tonight we got a hard freeze warning and I'm not sure what that means. Does a regular freeze warning mean the same thing as a frost warning? Boy that's confusing.

cheyannarach, thanks for the reassurance! I think what I'm going to do is just put my buckets back over my brassica and put a heavy blanket over my just starting to sprout peas and potatoes. It may not do any good, but it won't hurt to try.

**camprn** 4/28/2012, 5:55 pm

I guess the link I thought was in the previous thread is dead. Sad

So, the hard freeze is when temperatures go below 24F.
http://voices.yahoo.com/gardening-light-freeze-moderate-freeze-6892602.html?cat=32

This one explains a little about dew point and frost.
http://www.coldclimategardening.com/2012/03/27/hard-freeze-but-no-frost-what-gives/

**camprn** 4/28/2012, 6:11 pm

Well I didn't look too hard, so I didn't find anything specifically for Jamestown, but I think this is close in PA.
http://www.erh.noaa.gov/ctp/definitions.php

http://www.erh.noaa.gov/ctp/features/2007/09_14/index.php

littlesapphire 4/28/2012, 6:17 pm

Ok that makes some sense now! That you! I read that brassica are hardy to 20 degrees, and it's supposed be 23tonight, so I think they should be ok. And since the strawberries and garlic come up through the snow in the winter, I think they'll be alright. It's really just my pea and potato sprouts that I'm worried about.

**camprn** 4/28/2012, 6:20 pm

The peas can probably hold their own. If the potatoes get zapped, I would hope they would put up new growth... Good luck.

**camprn** 9/20/2012, 6:56 pm

bump

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