Average last freeze for Mid-Missouri quickly approaching

It’s hard to believe that spring is here, when many blooms are still absent from plants. Although the growing season has started in parts of Mid-Missouri, hard freezes are still occurring which could pose some problems for those plants that have bloomed.

The bitter cold through the first week of April have led to one of the coldest starts to the month dating back to the late 1800s, as we still continue to see highs in the ’30s and ’40s. Although winter has been hanging on, there is good news in store for Mid-Missouri. Climatological data shows that average last freeze for the region falls between April 10-15, but that’s not always the case. Last year Mid-Missouri say the last freeze on March 16, which sparked an early start to the growing season.

While the average last freeze is within the next week and a half, it’s still advised that you remain cautious of cold weather, as the average simple implies there is a 50 percent chance that a freeze can still occur beyond the listed dates.

It’s usually recommended to hold off on planting cold sensitive plants until the end of April, when climatologically freezes are rare. The latest freeze ever recorded at Columbia Regional Airport was May 9, 1906.

If you are itching to get outside and begin planting, there are a variety of plants and vegetation that you can sow indoors before transplanting them outside. Many seed packages will mention whether that can be planted indoors or if they need to be directly sowed.

Nursery professionals recommend that if you really want to plant, wait until after April 17-20 when there’s only a 10 percent chance of a freeze occurring. There are some things to remember though for plants that have already been planted and at risk for frost/freeze exposure. Experts recommend that you cover the plants/vegetation with a blanket or a sheet to protect them through the night. It’s also recommended on nights that frost are expected, if you wake up in the morning and cover the frost with water it will act as an insulator for the plants.

Unfortunately on nights where we are seeing hard freezes, there’s not much you can do for plants that have already bloomed. The good news is that spring is showing signs of returning, as current trends suggest that as we head into the next one to two weeks, we’ll finally see seasonal temperatures make a return.

Stay with ABC 17 Stormtrack as we continue to monitor the changing seasons and follow us on Twitter @ABC17Stormtrack.