Unexpected cold weather hits spring garden season

Wednesday's unseasonably cold weather is causing some damage to gardens across Michiana.

The gardeners at Ginger Valley weren't expecting to see snow in late April.

Greg Leyes, sales representative for Ginger Valley had to do damage control after this week's cold wave hit the nursery's large inventory of greenery.

“We brought in some plants, anything we thought were vulnerable," said Leyes. "Plants that recently came in that normally we would've put out are still in our greenhouse, so we're lucky to have a greenhouse.”

But many residents do not have greenhouses.

Leyes says you, too, can protect your garden from Michiana's unforgiving weather by using materials around the house.

“If you have [plants] out in your yard, you want to cover them with cloth covering, an old blanket or anything like a towel,” he said.

For days like Wednesday, when temperatures touch the low 30's, the chances of permanent damage to most plants are small.

But if the weather gets colder, you might see trouble.

“If it gets down into the 20's, the high twenties, that might do more damage," he said. "You might even have some of the wood that'll be damaged.”

And if you're growing some popular spring plants like tulips, they are most at-risk.

But Leyes says don't worry.

“It's not going to kill the plant and it's definitely not going to kill the bulb," he said. "The bulbs are made to go through winter.”

At least for now.

“That's just the risk we take here in this Michiana weather," he said.