Get a heads-up before frost hits

On spring and fall afternoons when frost is forecast for East Bethel, we’ll send you a short email in time to cover your plants before dark. It’s free, it only comes when it matters, and you can stop it with one click.

Email me frost alerts

How it works

Only in frost seasonMid-April to mid-June and late August through October — when tender plants are outside.
Only when it mattersWhen tonight’s low is 33°F or colder, or the National Weather Service puts out a frost or freeze alert for our area.
In time to actEmails go out mid-afternoon, so you can cover plants before dark. Never more than one a day.

Frost possibleAround 33°F. Keep sheets handy; cover tender plants in low spots.

Frost32°F or a Frost Advisory. Cover tender plants before dark, or bring pots inside.

Hard freeze28°F or colder, or a Freeze Warning. Bring tender plants inside — covers won’t be enough.

How to protect plants from frost

Cover before sunset. The ground gives off heat at night; a cover traps it. Old sheets, blankets or frost cloth all work. Let the cover reach the ground instead of tying it around the stems.
Skip the plastic. Plastic touching the leaves can freeze right through. If plastic is all you have, put a sheet underneath it.
Water dry soil during the day. Moist soil holds more heat than dry soil.
Move pots and baskets. Into the garage or house, or at least up against the house under the eaves.
Uncover in the morning once it’s above freezing, so plants don’t cook in the sun.

Bringing plants in for the winter? See overwintering tender plants. Planting in spring? Our Minnesota planting calendar covers when it’s safe.