Attention gardeners: Freeze, frost alerts issued for Centre County Sunday night

It may be late April, but Centre County is not done with winter weather.

A frost advisory is in effect for the State College area Sunday night into Monday morning as temperatures will fall to just above the freezing mark, the National Weather Service said. Uncovered sensitive outdoor vegetation is most at risk, the weather service said.

Gardeners should protect tender plants from the cold and bring potted plants inside, the NWS advises.

Temperatures will be colder farther north, and the Philipsburg area is under a freeze warning. It could be as cold as 30 degrees Sunday night into Monday.

The NWS advised residents under the freeze warning to “take protective measures now as freezing temperatures could damage or kill tender plants and vegetation. Potted plants should be brought inside.” Additionally, unprotected outdoor plumbing could be damaged by freezing conditions.

The frost advisory and freeze warning are both in effect from midnight Sunday (tonight) until 9 a.m. Monday.

How to keep your plants protected

Better Homes & Gardens offers a few suggestions to keep your plants protected from the cold:

• Gather old bedspreads, blankets and large towels and use them to loosely cover your plants.
• Use a cloche — a rounded cover over a single tender plant.
• In addition to a cover, water plants well as moist soil holds more heat.

This story was originally published April 23, 2023 at 1:55 PM.