What last night’s cold did to your plants

We’ve seen record-setting cold temperatures in the past 24 hours.

Records were set at Dulles International Airport on Sunday for the lowest high temperature for May 15, and a new low-temperature record low of 37 degrees was also recorded last night.

By this time last year, our friends at the Capital Weather Gang had already declared it summertime in Washington. This year, we’re not so sure.

With dipping temperautrtes, what about your outdoor plants and your vegatble garden? Garden plants — especially tomatoes — don’t like the cold weather.

“I’ve already planted all of my tomatoes… I covered them… but there’s not a lot I can do now,” said Thomas Bolles, with Prince William Unit of the Virginia Cooperative Extension.

Last night’s cold weather will likely mean your tomato plants are stunted could produce fruit later than usual, said the garden expert. The many different types and variety of tomato plants make it difficult to say by how long your tomato harvest will be delayed. Some plants begin producing tomatoes by late June or early July, and you can bet all of them will be doing so later in the season, added Bolles.

The National Weather Service on Sunday issued a frost advisory for Loudoun and Fauquier counties. That promted many to use fabrics and old sheets to cover thier plants.

Perennials and annuals were also affected by last night’s cold. Those in the ground probably fared better than potted plants.

“Think of the earth as a huge heat sink that collects as much warmth from the sun as possible. Plants in the ground benefit from that warmth. Plants in pots do not, and have air around them on five sides,” said Bolles.

The average last frost for the region is May 9, said Bolles. Last week, a majority of Virginia’s peach crop was damaged due to a cold snap, he added.

The mercury isn’t set to climb this week, either, though we don’t expect temperatures to dip back into the 30s. Expect high temperatures in the 60s and lows in the 50s.

Tuesday will be a rainy day, and rain chances will continue through Thursday. Look for the sun again on Friday, according to the National Weather Service.