The Latest Invention: Frost Tent!

Ah, once again I get in touch with my WT self. Last summer’s back-porch privacy draperies have morphed into something new for winter: tents to protect the tender potted plants from this winter’s frost.

We haven’t had a freeze yet — it’s still early. But we will, come December or January. Last winter a bunch of the plants were damaged or killed, despite much thrashing around with old sheets and old curtains. The other day, an easier way dawned on me: attach clip-rings to the things and drape them around the plants by hanging them on hooks from the rafters. Hence:

This one will protect a ficus and a few other smaller plants.

THIS is gonna WORK!

I built two others on the westside deck. These three tents should be enough to cover all the frost-sensitive potted plants, relieving me of having to drag them inside or wrap sheets around them in the cold and damp. In theory I could even hang shop lights inside them to keep them warm, if we get a true hard frost.

These three little projects only required five cloths, so I have a ton of other sheets and rags that can be tossed down, as needed. But I don’t think they will be needed — just about everything else is either frost-resistant or will recover from being frozen back to the ground.

No more icy fingers and late-night frenzies trying to cover and wrap and tie down plants. Hanging these things from the rafters is easy and fast. It shelters the plants mostly without coming into contact with them.

Half the time our frosts come after rainstorms. As soon as the clouds blow off, the night skies open to the frigidity of the cosmos and everything outdoors freezes. And usually “blow” is one of several operative terms: the wind blows and lifts the accursed wet cloths off the plants, which doesn’t matter much, since the damp cloth in contact with the plants leaves pretty much guarantees they’ll freeze, covered or no. All of which makes protecting the plants an annoying, uncomfortable job.

Once these tents are up, they’re up and they won’t have to be dragged around. Right now the cloths are clipped and packaged in bags labeled with where they go. Come the next cold snap, it’ll be simple to find them, hang them, and stash the plants in them.

This is going to make life a lot easier. 😀