When do you plan on protecting your tender plants? I ' in Kingwood/Humble area. I am watching the weather. But our temperatures fluctuate so much. 69º one day 85º the next. I don't want to get stuck in a surprise drop in temps and wondering how everyone else determines when things get protected? I supposed it won't hurt things if I shove them into the hot greenhouse early?

I have pretty much given up on plants that require winter protection. When a freeze is predicted, I cover recently planted citrus and such. If the weather wizards are wrong, so am I. I am never really prepared. Previously, when I had a number of small tropicals, I would typically wait until the last minute and whisk them into the house. One year this practice resulted in a swarm of resident stink bugs flying back and forth in the living room. No more.

Yikes! I didn't know stink bugs could fly!

I am going ahead and "washing" off the plants that are coming indoors while the weather is warm. Doing that, usually I only bring anoles and a few snails into the house. I have already dug up some annuals and bulbs to protect over winter. I have a greenhouse to fill with precious things. But I don't see anything consistently below 50º yet? I do hate the rush before a predicted freeze. It kills my back.

I think I'll write down all the plants that need to be moved into the garage when temps fall below 32. That's my threshold. Usually when the forecast comes out, I'm rushed and it's cold outside and I forget to move or cover something. This year I need to make a list.

Heard on the news that Houston is giving away a gazillion or so trees. Check it out.

It's TEXAS Arbor Day!

I don't have a greenhouse, so I try to have mostly hardy plants. Most of my cactus are hardy to 20 degrees. I do have some other things that aren't though. My back patio is covered and has a corner that has the brick and windows of the house on two sides. When it's supposed to get to 32, I put everything in that corner and cover with a plant blanket, with bricks around the edges to hold it down. I put a chair in the middle to make a tent. This has worked great for me. I have to control the number of plants I have and I don't have anything that gets too tall. I do have one plumeria. I wait until it's supposed to freeze and pull it out and put it into the garage for the rest of the winter. Then I replant it in early March. It's done great.

@SALL20 — I don't live in Houston but rather in the DFW area. But anyway, here's a recommendation that applies for most if not all zones. If a freeze is forecast (and you trust the forecast), water your plants beforehand. It will keep the temp a degree or 2 or 3 higher which can make a difference. Of course it probably won't make a difference if it's going to be a really hard freeze.

Like you, I move my container plants into a huddle. Go team!

Sounds like you've got a good plan.

The GH is full. Going to work on the BIG plants next. They will go ito the garage. Cold front coming to Houston by the weekend. It's early to say but they forecast a freeze for us Tuesday night! I am tired but I feel I am a step ahead of the game.

OMG. A freeze forecast for Houston? I'd better take a look at what's forecast around here. It did seem rather nippy today.

So glad you posted this. I see where we're supposed to or maybe or really going to have some cold nights ahead. Not freezing but close. Guess I've got a lot of garden clean up to do. Thanks for the warning, Shady.

Not freezing but close

Really? How lucky can you get. They are talking 29 degrees on next Tuesday here. A tad airish for me!

My yard is smallish, so I try to keep an eye on the forecast and throw a Goodwill sheet over anything new, in a large pot, or borderline tender (like agapanthus) if frost is predicted. Anything in a medium or small pot gets toted into the garage (but most of my potted plants are waiting for me to prep a spot for them in the ground, so that was a big job last year, will be a medium-sized job this year, and a small job next year).

I wish the forecast would be consistent. Now I'm reading that in the wee hours of Saturday morning the temp is going to be 32. I hope it's correct that tomorrow will be in the 50s and sunny. That will give me a chance to be indecisive about which task I should do first. I got absolutely nothing done today because the tech from AT&T was here for about 5 hours (who knew?) so I wanted to at least putter around inside rather than outside. Of course it drizzled and as he was leaving it started to pour. Then back to drizzle. As long as the sun's out tomorrow I'll put on my mud boots and drag myself outside. I always get a lot done but so often I start too late to finish everything. Especially now that the days get dark earlier. I'm just a crabapple. I need some sunshine!