COLUMBIA — A frost advisory will be in effect in Columbia from 3 to 8 a.m. Saturday, according to the National Weather Service in St. Louis.
The frost will likely form late Friday night, when temperatures fall to the lower to mid-30s.
This type of advisory is issued when frost is predicted during the growing season. Gardeners are advised to bring outdoor potted plants inside or to cover them for the duration of the advisory.
“If the plants are already in the ground, we recommend putting a paper product, like cardboard or newspaper, over the plants because if you put a cheap plastic bag or garbage bag over them, the frost could get through,” said Steven Sapp, owner of Strawberry Hill Farms nursery, 3770 Missouri 163, in Columbia.
Sapp said that plants such as pansies, petunias and perennials should be able to withstand a frost, but annuals — plants that last for only one year or season — are highly susceptible and should be covered as a precaution if they have already been planted. Also at high risk are newly planted plants and flowers.
Other acceptable plant coverings include old bedsheets, which Sapp recommends securing with a stake to ensure they stay in place overnight.