How to Prevent Frost on Blueberry Plants

Blueberries can suffer damage from frost or cold temperatures, from early stages of budding in the spring to the blossoming and fruit stage. Blossoms are the most vulnerable part of the plant susceptible to a cold snap. Late season frosts can result in a loss of production for that year. For this reason, it is important to monitor the temperature in your region and take proper preventative measures if needed. By protecting the blueberry plants from frost, you will have ripe, juicy berries later in the year.

Plant cover
Bricks (optional)

Instructions

- 1
  Monitor your local weather report carefully starting in early spring or once you see the bushes start to produce new growth. Water the soil around the blueberry bush two to three days prior to the temperature dropping below freezing. Moist soil traps daylight heat and protects the plants when frost does occur.
- 2
  Place a plant cover, also called a row cover, over the bush in the mid-afternoon prior to the expected frost. The cover should drape over the bush and touch the ground on all sides. This allows the cover to trap heat, which keeps the plant warmer at night.
- 3
  Pile up soil over the edges of the cover that touch the ground to hold it in place. If desired, you can also place bricks around the edge to hold down the cover.
- 4
  Remove the plant cover the next morning as soon as the temperatures rise above freezing. If temperatures remain below freezing during the next day, leave the cover on until temperatures rise but remove it as soon as possible to allow the bush to get sunlight.

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