Bundle Up Plants, Pipes Before Winter Blast

When you bundle up for the frigid blast coming later this week, don't forget your plants and water pipes.

Preparing your home and garden just takes a little time and about $30, say Home Depot employees.

Richard Dellert said he'd rather be safe than sorry when it freezes.

"(I) don't want a surprise, awakening in the morning with water running outside,” he said.

Home Depot employees said insulating outdoor pipes only costs a few bucks and could save hundreds in the long run.

"If there's water in the line, and the water expands and freezes, you're going to be in trouble," employee Bettye Pepper said.

After you wrap the outside, make sure you open you cabinets and turn on your indoor faucets before you go to bed.

"Let it drip just a little bit; you don't have to let it run, just let it drip so that that water will flow," Pepper said.

Plants also need some protection from the cold.

Gardening experts say even plants such as pansies and cabbage, which normally can withstand the cold, could die if you don't take a few extra steps.

"I think, initially, the most important thing that we can do before this cold hits -- let's water all these beds," said Mike McGonigle, of Calloway's Nursery.

Then pile on 1 or 2 inches of mulch and cover the beds with a sheet or freeze cloth to insulate, he said. Just drape the cloth over your plants and make sure it's held down by either a stake or a few rocks.

“It holds the heat into the beds and doesn't allow as much cold to get down to the flowers," McGonigle said.

Contact Us