SUSSEX COUNTY, Del. - A cold snap moving into Delmarva is expected to bring overnight temperatures below freezing, putting spring blooms and household plumbing at risk.
With plants already beginning to bloom, some worry the sudden temperature drop could cause harm. However, experts say most established plants are resilient enough to withstand a brief freeze, particularly this time of year.
"Everything is fine right now. The only danger is if you bought plants from a greenhouse and brought them outside right now," said Bill Adelman with Lewes in Bloom. "That could be a problem because they’re used to the warmer temperatures inside. And now they’re coming out here, and it’s a lot chillier."
Gardeners recommend taking simple precautions to protect more vulnerable plants. One suggestion is watering lawns or plants during frost conditions.
"If you have a lawn and you’re worried about that, you can run irrigation during times of frost," said Briley Brooks who works at Belle Terra Landscapes & Gardening. "The freeze will actually protect the plant on the outside and it should be good to go."
Additional protective measures include covering plants with cloth, newspaper or even placing a pot over them to shield them from the cold, according to Brooks.
Experts say the expected freeze is not likely to cause widespread damage, but preparation can reduce risk.
The colder temperatures may also affect plumbing systems inside homes, especially in poorly insulated areas.
"If you have any well-insulated areas or not so well insulated areas, you want to put as much heat as possible," said Kalven Hernandez, who works at F.H. Furr Plumbing, Heating, Air Conditioning & Electrical . "So space heaters, any sort of heat tape, like crawl spaces or outdoor sheds. Just any sort of heat tape or insulation that might protect you as best as possible."
Plumbing professionals also recommend disconnecting outdoor hoses, insulating exposed pipes and allowing faucets to drip slightly to prevent freezing.
