Georgia weather loves a plot twist. One week we're grilling in short sleeves, and the next we're digging through the closet for a winter coat because a freeze warning just popped up on our phones. If your first thought was "wait, what about my yard?" you're in good company. Here's the good news up front: your landscape is tougher than you think and a little prep goes a long way.
Is my irrigation system going to burst?
Almost certainly not. If you notice your irrigation running during a cold snap, there's no need to panic. Your irrigation lines are buried and the soil around them acts like a blanket. A typical Atlanta freeze where temperatures dip to around freezing or a few degrees below for part of the night isn't the kind of long, hard freeze that cracks underground pipes.
If you'd like to be extra careful, you can set your controller to "off" or "rain" mode until temperatures warm back up. That keeps the system from running in the early morning hours and leaving icy patches on walkways and driveways. Just remember to switch it back on afterward.
The one piece that sits above ground is your backflow preventer, usually found near the water meter or the side of the house. On an ordinary cold night it doesn't need anything. If we ever get a deep freeze with temperatures in the low 20s or colder for hours at a time, wrapping it with an insulated cover or a few old towels is a smart move.
How to protect your plants tonight
Most of what's planted in your yard was chosen to handle Georgia winters, so it will be just fine. A few simple steps help the more tender plants ride it out:
- Bring potted plants inside. Tropicals, houseplants that summered on the porch, and anything in a small container should head indoors or into the garage. Roots in pots don't have the ground to keep them warm.
- Cover tender plants. A bedsheet, towel, or frost cloth works great. Let it drape all the way to the ground so it traps the warmth coming up from the soil. Skip the plastic, which can damage leaves anywhere it touches.
- Uncover in the morning. Once temperatures climb back above freezing, pull the covers off so your plants can soak up the sun.
- Water dry beds ahead of time. If your beds or pots are dry, give them a drink during the day. Moist soil holds heat better than dry soil.
- Stay off frosty grass. Walking on frozen blades can leave brown footprints behind. Wait until it thaws.
Plants that can tough it out
If you have winter seasonal color, you can relax. Pansies, violas, snapdragons, and ornamental cabbage and kale handle the cold beautifully and don't need covering. Established shrubs, trees, and your dormant lawn are also built for this.
What to do after a freeze
Some browning or wilting is normal after a cold night, especially on tender perennials and anything with soft leaves. The hardest part is also the most important: hold off on pruning. That damaged foliage acts as a protective layer for the rest of the plant through winter. Cutting it back now can expose healthy growth to the next cold snap. Waiting until spring lets you see what bounces back and what truly needs to go.
If you're a Plants Creative maintenance customer, our team keeps an eye on things during your regular visits and handles cleanup at the right time.
Questions?
If something in your yard has you worried, we're happy to help. Reach out to the Plants Creative team. Stay warm out there!
