Environment Canada has issued a frost advisory for Kingston and the surrounding region, with temperatures expected to drop to freezing levels. Residents are being encouraged to take steps to protect sensitive garden plants as patchy frost is possible.
The advisory covers Kingston, Odessa, and the Frontenac Islands, warning that overnight temperatures could drop to near or below freezing. While the average last spring frost for the region typically occurs around April 28, this cold snap arrives just late enough to threaten tender new growth for local gardeners and farmers.
Home gardeners are advised to pay close attention to warm-weather crops such as tomatoes, peppers, melons, and eggplant, as well as greenhouse-raised plants. These varieties are highly susceptible to cold. Covering these plants before the evening chill sets in can help trap daytime heat and provide a shield against frost damage to the leaves.
Some hardier vegetables are better equipped to handle the cooler nights. Plants such as lettuce, kale, spinach, broccoli, onions, carrots, beets, radishes, and turnips are generally able to tolerate these conditions and should survive without extra intervention.
The risk of frost is expected to subside as the week progresses. Warmer conditions are on the horizon, with daytime highs predicted to climb toward 16°C by mid-week.
