Residents urged to protect plants ahead of freeze

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — A day full of luck and cheer, but temperatures not so lucky as old man winter returns to the Cape Fear.

A Freeze Warning is in effect for portions of southeast North Carolina and northeast South Carolina Wednesday morning and that means you need to protect your plants.

Leland’s Bloomin Crazy Nursery & More put plastic tarps over their plants to protect them from tonight’s predicted frost. They are also using a greenhouse with heat for plants at higher risk.

Tommy Harrelson is one of the horticulturists there and he has a few tips on how folks can prepare going into this upcoming freeze.

 “So, the best covering material is going to be anything that’s cloth. it’s always best not to have plastic because the water can kind of condensate onto the plastic and make direct contact with the foliage. so, a heavy movers blanket or quilt or something like that and just put a bamboo stick in the middle of the plant that way you have a teepee over it and the weight isn’t directly on it,” said Harrelson. 

Harrelson says a lot of their seasonal plants can withstand the light freeze. If you have potted plants, it’s best to take them indoors until the frost is over.