By LESLIE EIKLEBERRY
Salina Post
After frigid temperatures of this past winter, many gardeners were more than a little eager to get out and plant once the weather turned warmer. Mother Nature, however, had one word for that eagerness: "WHOA!"
The National Weather Service has issued freeze warnings for much of Kansas tonight. Throughout much of central and north-central Kansas, overnight lows tonight are expected to be in the mid- to upper-20s.
That frigid news had gardeners scrambling. But they weren't the only ones. Local garden centers that have been filled with beautiful, colorful plants also have been working to protect their stock from the freezing temperatures.
Ben Miller, owner of Stutzmans Greenhouse, said his staff hauled four truck loads of plants from the Salina garden center back to the company's Pleasantview facility in recent days. The local garden center at the corner of S. Ninth Street and W. Cloud Street, is looking quite sparse now. It is closed temporarily until the plants can be returned from Pleasantview later in the week once the weather warms again.
Tom Jones and his staff were busy this afternoon covering plants in the garden center at Ace Home Center, 321 S. Broadway. Jones, owner of Ace Home Center, said he's had a heater in the greenhouse for the past week.
"We've been heating every night for the past week on and off. There's been a couple of nights we haven't had to heat. Those bedding plants like it a little warmer, so we keep it up to 50 to 60 degrees in the greenhouse at night," Jones said.
Other plants and trees were brought into a covered area adjacent to the south end of the store. The remainder of the plants were being covered by Jones and his staff.
"This stuff is a little heartier, so we'll put a double layer of plastic over them," Jones said of some of the perennials. "That should protect them tonight and maybe tomorrow night. They're talking about frost possibly tomorrow night, too."
The greenhouse at Waters Hardware, 460 S. Ohio Street, was filled to the brim with colorful plants this afternoon. Mike Fuller, store manager, said his staff had brought in as many plants as they could fit in the greenhouse and still keep the pathways open.
"We get plants in every day, so that has made it even more of a challenge," Fuller said. "But we've brought in most all of what we could bring in and have covered the rest."
Miller said the Stutzmans staff had been watching the hourly forecast closely before deciding what to do with the plants.
"What we picked up would have been at risk even if it was covered with the temperatures dropping down to 27 or 28," Miller said. "There's no question that we will have some damage, but we've been able to save most of it."
The weather also has put a chill in Stutzmans plant sale to benefit the Salina Rescue Mission, but Miller is determined to make the benefit sale a success. Originally, 20 percent of all sales on Wednesday through Saturday were to go to the Salina Rescue Mission. With so many of the plants moved to Pleasantview, however, Miller told Salina Post that he intends to extend the benefit sale through Sunday.
What gardeners should do
All three men said gardeners should cover non-cold-hearty plants that are already in the ground.
"When you get this frost and freeze, just cover your tender plants up," Jones said.
Miller suggested covering plants with a blanket or cloth, and do so early enough that at least a bit of the warmer temperature can be retained before the sun goes down.
"If you have planters, just slide them into the garage," Miller said.
Fuller's advice was simple.
"If you have a question about whether to cover a plant, just do it," he said.