GOLDEN VALLEY, Minn. — Editor's Note: This video aired Aug. 2, 2024.
The Twin Cities area has experienced an unusually warm autumn season, but at last... the frost is arriving.
KARE 11's weather team says overnight temps will dip down into the low-20s or at least below freezing in a number of spots across the Twin Cities and greater Minnesota, especially early Tuesday. This cold snap is expected to bring an end to our growing season all across the region. If you're looking to keep your favorite outdoor plants around for a few more days or weeks, cover them overnight with a sheet, blanket or tarp.
Longer term, If you have plants, vulnerable trees or gorgeous blooms that you want to last through the winter, here are some tips before frost hits them.
University of Minnesota Extension horticulture experts say to water your plants up until the freeze, use fallen leaves as mulch and avoid pruning after September.
Our Grow with KARE experts Laura Betker and Bobby Jensen say there are specific plants you should never prune in fall, including magnolias, rhododendrons and lilacs.
On the other hand, plants like daylilies, peonies, bee balm and bearded iris should be cut back in fall. Here's more on the do's and don't's of fall pruning.
When it comes to trees, UMN experts say that young, thin-barked saplings are vulnerable to sun scald and frost cracks. Install white tree guards around trunks to prevent damage from deer and the intense winter sun.
If you have shrub roses that you'd like to survive the winter, UMN Extension advises to install fencing around the shrub and pile on fallen leaves to insulate and guard the plant from animals.
What to plant in preparation for spring
It may seem a little early, but October is the perfect time to start looking ahead to spring blooms. Betker shared that this time of year is perfect for planting spring bulbs.
If you're looking for some ideas for your garden, The Old Farmer's Almanac recommends daffodils, crocuses, snowdrops, tulips, hyacinths, irises and alliums.