HOUSTON (KIAH) — With the rising cost of groceries, specifically vegetables, many are turning to home gardening to cut costs at the supermarket. Now with weather approaching freezing temperatures in the upcoming days, it’s time to protect all your hard work in the garden from freezing out all your efforts.

Randall Mossman, an expert with the community gardening non-profit Urban Harvest, has these vital tips for preparing your garden for a freeze.

Freeze Protection for Fruit Trees 

Determine the cold tolerance of your fruit tree.  A simple Google search should give you a good estimate.

Watch the weather closely and determine how cold you think it will get.

From 30 to 36 for short periods ( 7 hrs or less ) a Frost cloth covering the plant and weighted to the ground can usually be enough ( depending on the cold tolerance of your plant.

Extended periods of significant cold require more care.

During an extended cold snap

Bank your trunk as a last resort.  (Cover the base of the trunk as high as you can with soil.). If the tree is grafted make sure to cover over the graft and some.

Place a 5 gallon bucket of water near the trunk.

Wire up a heat source near the base of the tree.

Cover tree to the ground ( weighted down ) with the water bucket and heat source inside.

Wrap in 6mm plastic to the ground once you get near the freeze.

Make sure to remove the plastic when it warms up.

If you do not have a heat source?

Bank tree as high as you can.

Place more than one bucket of water near the base of the tree.

Use Hay or other material to insulate around the tree ( in the branches and completely cover.

Then wrap in cloth to the ground and weighted 

Wrap in 6 mm plastic and make sure it is secure to the ground.