WASHINGTON — As we go to press (or would go to press if we had presses), there is a chance of frost Sunday night into Monday morning in the colder outskirts of D.C. — especially in low lying areas — and definite cold temps everywhere else.
(Note: Less cold — but still potentially damaging — lows might occur in some areas on Saturday and Monday night as well. Stay tuned to your acutely local forecast and be prepared!)
Now, the threat to summertime plants that are already in the ground outdoors will be greatest if the skies are clear and there is little to no wind. Clear skies and a still night produce the coldest possible temperatures at ground level.
The threat is also greatest in low-lying spots in rural and open suburban areas, and much less in the heat sink of the city, where buildings and paved areas keep the nighttime temps a good 10 degrees higher than in the ‘burbs.
So, what should you do if you have tender plants in the ground — summer-lovers such as peppers, tomatoes, eggplants, cukes and such?
Your best bet is to place upside-down cardboard boxes on top of the plants on Sunday evening and remove them on Monday morning. The boxes will trap warmth inside and prevent any frost from settling on the plants.
Or, if your plants are supported by cages or trellises, you can drape professionally made row cover (the biggest brand name is Reemay) or sheer curtains on top of the supports.
But do not put plastic, blankets or anything else directly on top of unsupported plants; you’ll kill them faster than the frost.
Oh, and don’t worry about cool-weather lovers such as lettuce, spinach, peas, pansies, broccoli and such; they love the cold and won’t be harmed by frost.
Ground nesting bees in spring are harmless pollinators
Sia in Upper Marlboro writes: “I have three little kids, ages 1, 3 and 5, that love to play outside. I’ve noticed an increase in the number of ground bee nests this spring and I’m concerned about my kids’ safety. How do I get rid of them?”
Gee Sia; I don’t think you’re allowed to get rid of your kids.
Oh, you mean the bees!
You don’t have to: The ground-nesting bees currently hovering over little holes in many area lawns and gardens are harmless native bees that have no stingers and are great pollinators of flowers and fruits.
I repeat: The native bees appearing in our area now are harmless. The only true bee that stings is the honeybee, which is not native and doesn’t nest in the ground. So take the opportunity to let the kids observe and appreciate these gentle and helpful creatures.
Support your native bees
Sia, in Upper Marlboro, is worried about the ground nesting bees that have recently appeared in her yard. It is our great pleasure to assure her that these native bees don’t sting, but do pollinate our flowers and food crops.
The most common ground nester in our area at this time of year is the “polyester” or “cellophane” bee — so named because the females line the interior of their solitary nests with a plasticlike substance they create to make it waterproof.
These bees are ephemeral as well as harmless; they’ll be visible for a few weeks and then disappear until next year. If you want them to nest elsewhere in the future, build up your lawn; they generally only nest in bare spots created by you cutting the grass too short.
You like eating food? Don’t hurt your bees!
2016 has been declared “the Year of the Pollinator” to help raise awareness about the important work done by native bees. Unlike imported nonnative honey bees, natives such as carpenter, bumble, mason, blue-faced, polyester and squash bees don’t make honey or sting, but they do pollinate our flowers and food crops — often better than honeybees.
The expression “no bees; no food” is absolutely true, but the idea that all bees sting is not true. So don’t fear these gentle creatures as they go about their work of transferring pollen from one flower to another. They won’t sting you, but they will fill your landscape with an abundance of flowers and fruits. Without their good work, we’d “bee” wiped out as a species very quickly.
Here’s a link to some great info on native bees from the Xerces Society — a tremendous resource on native pollinators.
Beware of ‘ground-nesting bees’ in late summer
But do be cautious of insects that look like bees nesting in the ground in the summer and early fall; those could be dangerous yellow jackets — highly aggressive wasps that are a stinging threat.
Again, though, ground-nesting insects that look like bees in the spring are harmless native pollinators that only want to give you more flowers and fruits.
