I'm in the Midwest and the weather forecast is telling me to expect a few hours of snow fall (followed by rain?) for the next few hours. I already started clearing out my flower beds of the fallen leaves and such a few days ago (though my back shade garden is still blanketed). Should I take any sort of precaution?

And does this mean our cherry blossom tree's flowers aren't going to show up this year? (And their buds look ready to burst too!!!) Last year we got hit with a late winter and there was basically nothing on the tree. I mean, we got leaves an all... but no flowers. :(

Is there anything I can do? Will my plants be fine? The only thing in the ground are perennials at the moment: bleeding hearts, roses bushes, a peony bush, and some hastas (that could survive anything so I'm not worried about those).

I can't help but will blow some of our 80+ heat your way.

I will contribute some upper 70's!

Antonin - I've been following accuweather like crazy for the past week. We were originally supposed to get down to 29 degrees tonight but that's been raised to 32. Even today in the 40's, there was some snow flakes in the forecast but I think that's because the upper air is so cold. Can't predict how your cherry tree will respond but everything else you mentioned should be fine. How cold is it supposed to get for you tonight? If you're right around the freezing mark, you could throw a sheet (not plastic) over your cherry tree if you can reach it.

I'm supposed to get a low of 29 degrees by 4am. The tree is small enough to throw a sheet over it. Would it save the buds?

If the buds are not open on the cherry tree they should be OK. (a sheet wouldn't hurt though) We had 28 degree temps here this morning, with a high only up to 38. A few snow flurries as well, but nothing to big. Supposed to get colder. My sweet cherry is in full bloom, and so are my apricot trees. They will be toast, as it's supposed to be freezing for the next 3 nights here.

Thanks for all your help and advice. Time for a dumb question: does this count as "open?"

Antonin -- I agree with all of the above advice, and would definitely throw something over your cherry tree if you can; it may be okay without it, but why take a chance? I lost almost all of the flowers on a rhododendron bush one year because I figured if it was hardy enough to grow here it would be okay...

And for the southerners that have offered to send some warm air to Detroit -- send enough to share with the UP, please!!

Antonin said:Thanks for all your help and advice. Time for a dumb question: does this count as "open?"

As you look at the blooms some are farther along then others. That's a good thing, if some of the early ones are damaged by frost some of the ones that come later may still produce. None of them are open yet, but some are very close.

Soooo embarrassing moment. I didnt realize how big my yoshino cherry tree is. I'm just going to have to just wish for the best as I don't have anything that is big enough.

I guess I just never walked up to it and really looked ya know? I usually just see it from the Kitchen window.

Thanks everyone for all your good wishes an advice.

Hopefully it will last, its grown this far it should be fine.

Antonin -- the worst that will happen is some of the buds will be killed; there's always next year!

Have you tried a thick mulch around the trees roots that may help in future years.

Antonin - hope your cherry blossoms survived last night. Maybe 2 sheets? Maybe you can find some extras at a thrift store. My father in law lived in Tucson and had an orange tree in his backyard. From time to time, it would get below freezing in the winter. He'd throw a sheet over the 5 ft plant and put a light bulb under the sheet to keep it above freezing. Don't think that would help much though with wet snow or rain.