Frost/freeze help

I have a MAJOR problem. The weatherman predicted lows in the upper 20's for tonight. I covered as much as I could and put lanterns under 2 of my pear trees in full bloom. I also built one fire in the middle of three other fruit trees they are just fine. Any way 3 hours ago the temp was in the mid 20's. I started building little fires under all my fruit trees. I just checked the temp and it is 18. It is so cold that my rudbeckia leafs snap in two I am sure the current growth is dead. I left a 5 gallon bucket of water on the deck and it has just over 1/8" of ice on it.

Is anyone out there right now with any quick ideas to save/minimize damage to trees, and perennials?

sari
I havent been outside to look-but I can see a heavy frost on the grass!!! =[ The car windows are iced up good. The only thing I can think of is to hurry and squirt evertything with a thin layer of water. I hope your trees and flowers are ok!

This message was edited Sunday, May 19th 7:40 AM

I tried that the water just froze on the plants. When I went did get the frost/freeze off and went to the next group the first group froze back up. When I check the temp right after my first post the temp had dropped down to 15 degrees.

BTW Dori are you going to the June 6th plant swap with Wanda?

Sari, That's what you want the water to freeze on them. I know because I read it in a gardening book and I've done it many times.

Yes you want the water to freeze on them-it makes insulation
I just went out and looked at my plants-sigh-we got hit hard! Only time will tell now-mother nature your FIRED!

**Sari if it was on june 6th Id be there but its June 9th and thats my sons graduation!!! im sooooo bummed! His party is June 29-the same as davesgarden roundup! The only 2 trades I wanted to go to! :(

AWHHHHH! Dori are you telling us you won't be at Roundup? I am so sad!!!!!

Ellen-im so bummmmmmmmmmmmmed!!=( But thats the date Teig had set and told everyone-then came the roundup!!={

oh dear how awful for you guys! One of the reasons I'm here in NC. But the water thing does work. First you have to keep your hose and water pipes from freezing. Then just keep a fine mist on them so that it freezes. Then, if and when sun comes out and temps warm up, squirt again....that'll knock some of the ice off so that they won't burn if it gets too warm. There is also a product out, think it's called wiltproof that works on plants, but you would need far too much of it to work on trees.
Lived in CT so know what you're going through.

Update.
The low temp ending up being about 16 degrees. It has been snowing on and off all day now. I lost most of the flowers on my pear and cherry trees even with the heaters under them. I have about 50 elderberries plants (4 different kinds) some of them have pretty bad damage on them. I didn't lose any of my perennials. I had just divided and transplants about 300 of my 1500 rudbeckias (many kinds). At 5am the leafs were so froze when you bent the leaf it broke right off in a nice straight line. I lost less than 35% of the leafs and the plants actual don't look bad.

The damage is not as bad as I thought it was going to be. I guess I was lucky.
However... The temp is going to be just as cold tonight!

Gardening in Michigan is a challenge, isn't it?
In our neck-of-the-woods,
the saying here goes:
"It's Michigan. Just wait 5 minutes
and the weather will change!"
I just planted 4 baby rose bushes this morning.
I'll be covering them up tonight, for sure!
Good luck to you. :-)

I feel so bad for all of you in Michigan! We've been cold at night, but not THAT cold. Gets down into the 20's. We could get it at any time I guess. I've about decided that I'm not going to be planting as much as I had planned this year. It's just too messed up already, and we have a short growing season as it is. I hope your cold doesn't last very long.