FROST: general rules from experience....

grapenut2457

Well-Known Member
We had our second frost near North Bay, Ontario today. This time I had tents over them at least. They survived the first frost uncovered, but killed some leaves and caused stunted growth. Our weather is quickly going to shit, highs of 10 and lows of 1, usually a low of 1 is -2. Not sure what to do, three of my plants are not even close to done and they are the biggest ones. Would hate to lose them.

Worst case Ontario I could cut this one.
Don't want to lose this one either since it still needs a couple weeks.

I have covered the plants with tents which I have been doing since it rained almost all of last week and a wind storm tore down almost a whole plant.

Can they survive just being covered from the top like this based on our weather posted below? If not, how can you keep them warmer?

View attachment 4401499

Tuesday night
6 °C
Showers. Low 6.

Wednesday night
1 °C
Cloudy. Low plus 1.

Thursday night
2 °C
Cloudy with 40 percent chance of showers. Low plus 2.

Friday night
1 °C
Clear. Low plus 1.
Maybe cover with light plastic sheeting from the dollar store... just to ease your worry.
 

cowtown

Active Member
Maybe cover with light plastic sheeting from the dollar store... just to ease your worry.
I picked up some used shrink wrap made for covering boats during the winter. Going to put it around the tents and throw a space heater in. Supposed to go down to -4 C tonight.
 

cowtown

Active Member
Well, most of it survived. Ended up at -6 for about six hours. I put some walls around the tents. One plant wasn't very happy with a patio umbrella over it. It froze the top cola, the rest turned out alright.

Just because the fan leaves are dead, will the rest of the buds keep growing from the healthy part of the plant? The trichs are not ready yet IMO.20191006_141518.jpg
IMG_8201 (2).jpg
 

Budley Doright

Well-Known Member
Well, most of it survived. Ended up at -6 for about six hours. I put some walls around the tents. One plant wasn't very happy with a patio umbrella over it. It froze the top cola, the rest turned out alright.

Just because the fan leaves are dead, will the rest of the buds keep growing from the healthy part of the plant? The trichs are not ready yet IMO.View attachment 4404229
View attachment 4404233
Looks like it’s pretty much over for that girl but if you do leave it just keep watching the buds for any sign of rot. I would pull it but that’s me. I still have 6 in the ground and only one light frost so far.
 

cowtown

Active Member
Looks like it’s pretty much over for that girl but if you do leave it just keep watching the buds for any sign of rot. I would pull it but that’s me. I still have 6 in the ground and only one light frost so far.
I cut off the cola that froze and trimmed the dead leaves after work today. We had a bunch more rain today. It's hanging right now, hopefully some is salvageable.
 

Budley Doright

Well-Known Member
I cut off the cola that froze and trimmed the dead leaves after work today. We had a bunch more rain today. It's hanging right now, hopefully some is salvageable.
It should be fine even if the frost killed it. Just don’t leave it out. Trimmed up a blue dream and a banana kush tonight. Only 8 more to go lol.
 

BoiseShortz

Well-Known Member
8 degrees Fahrenheit in the garden right now, put up plastic and big water troughs all over the garden water wasn't frozen but plastic had frost on the inside and outside
 

TerrapinBlazin

Well-Known Member
I thought I would jump in on this thread because my outdoor plants just went through a light freeze. I noticed a little damage. Just some browning on some leaf tips and some of the buds. I’m not sure how much longer this one has but she took until almost September to begin forming buds. The freeze we had was a result of the huge system over the Rockies. Down in New Mexico it just brought some cold, but it’s not forecasted to freeze again for the foreseeable future. I’m a little confused about when to harvest her because I have no idea to what extent the cold temps affected things. The buds seem like they need to fill out some more, but the freeze caused a lot of the trichomes to darken.

973771D2-10C7-43B8-9922-27ED9B58EE24.jpeg
68477FF9-2879-4341-BBA7-5D549F2ECC9B.jpeg
 
I thought I would jump in on this thread because my outdoor plants just went through a light freeze. I noticed a little damage. Just some browning on some leaf tips and some of the buds. I’m not sure how much longer this one has but she took until almost September to begin forming buds. The freeze we had was a result of the huge system over the Rockies. Down in New Mexico it just brought some cold, but it’s not forecasted to freeze again for the foreseeable future. I’m a little confused about when to harvest her because I have no idea to what extent the cold temps affected things. The buds seem like they need to fill out some more, but the freeze caused a lot of the trichomes to darken.

View attachment 4407584
View attachment 4407585
Is that budrot forming in the second picture?
 

TerrapinBlazin

Well-Known Member
Is that budrot forming in the second picture?
I doubt it. Way too dry here. We haven’t had rain in weeks and I’ve seen absolutely no signs of mold. I noticed some browning after the frost. One of my other phenos got attacked by caterpillars and didn’t get bud rot. Too dry out here. Compromised buds just shrivel up and die and you can just trim the fucked up parts out. I do not believe these weather conditions can support bud rot.
CE612DA4-7EF8-44E0-B633-3D74866173E7.jpeg
 

Grandalyn

New Member
Simple rules you should consider growing outdoor: climate, soil, fertilizer, water, and protection. Or the best way - to watch a video of how to do that on Youtube, as I did)))))
 

Deadhead13

Well-Known Member
I’m about to see a few nights below freezing and plants aren’t ready. I hope I can get thru 3 straight nights of it.
 

mysunnyboy

Well-Known Member
Water around 12pm the day before it’s supposed to freeze. The soil retains heat better when wet.
Too late :-(

edit: should I wrap those rascals? I just saw possible 29 degrees is possible. I’d reeeeeeally hate to lose those. I already lost a bunch of seedlings that must’ve gotten too cold :-( it was the gmo/chem @curious2garden @cannabineer they looked good a couple of days ago right bear lol Oy vey

lemme know if I should do something to save those girls. The Cindi is handing in there, she’s shivering though.
 
Last edited:

Budley Doright

Well-Known Member
Too late :-(

edit: should I wrap those rascals? I just saw possible 29 degrees is possible. I’d reeeeeeally hate to lose those. I already lost a bunch of seedlings that must’ve gotten too cold :-( it was the gmo/chem @curious2garden @cannabineer they looked good a couple of days ago right bear lol Oy vey

lemme know if I should do something to save those girls. The Cindi is handing in there, she’s shivering though.
If it’s not to difficult then cover them in a plastic tent over night. Better to have then want. Also I shake off as much moisture as I can in the morning when I remove the tent.
 
Top