These Are the Plants You Can—and Can’t—Plant Now

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This is the time of year when all gardeners are pining to get in the garden. But is it safe to plant outside or might there be one more frost? While its safest to wait until after the last frost to plant here are a few plants that can handle cooler temps so you can satisfy that urge to get something, anything, in the ground!

Plants That Can Withstand Frost
These plants actually thrive in cool weather and can handle a frost.

• Broccoli

• Cabbage

• Cauliflower

• Spinach

• Kale, which actually often can survive a freeze

• Snapdragons

• Pansies

Plants That Can’t Handle Frost
Don’t even think about planting warm-weather lovers too early in the season because these plants have zero tolerance to frost:

• Basil

• Tomatoes

• Eggplant

• Cucumbers

• Peppers

• Squashes of all types

Floating Row Cover

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How to Protect Your Plants from a Late Frost

Most of us dedicated gardeners have seen a late frost or even late freeze long past when it was expected. We’ve all scrambled around, trying to cover up tender plantings before nightfall. If this happens to you, take heart. You may be able to save your plants.

You can use almost anything to cover up plantings, including baskets, tarps, pine boughs, old sheets or fabric row covers, called frost blankets. Fabric row covers typically protect plants down to 30 degrees, while polyethylene row covers might protect to 28 degrees.

Cover the entire plant before sunset, and anchor the edges with anything you can—landscape fabric staples, rocks, whatever. Remove the coverings the next day after it warms up. If you planted in containers, you can push them together up against the house, which will provide some radiant heat, and cover them.

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