A cold front sweeping across southern B.C. has brought late-season frost to some higher elevations, much to the dismay of local gardeners.
This week’s conditions have dropped overnight temperatures well below the seasonal average, dipping down to three degrees in some places.
Environment Canada officials said nighttime temperatures average around eight or nine degrees in mid-June.
Top Crop Garden Farm and Pet owner Shannon Fisher said the June 22 frost has been the latest she has ever seen in the region.
“We heard from lots of customers this morning that Fernie got hammered and even parts of Cranbrook. In Hidden Valley, they had some frozen hoses,” said Fisher.
The cold temperatures led to frost settling in over Wycliffe on Wednesday night.
“We had Piglet [one of Fisher’s dogs] out at 5:30 a.m. and we had a serious frost out here,” said Fisher. “I’m glad I covered stuff up.”
Fisher said you may be able to save your crops from the frost if you act quickly.
“If you can get out there before the sun starts coming up and knock the frost off, it kind of prevents a lot of serious damage, so we turned our sprinkler system on,” explained Fisher.
“They say get some water on them as soon as possible because it contains a little heat and it washes the frost off, so it keeps the cells from getting damaged. The key is that you have to do it early.”
Environment Canada expects temperatures to rise back up around seasonal normal by Friday, with a drastic increase in the forecast next week.
“In 10 days, we’re supposed to be up to 33 degrees. That’s a 30-degree swing, which is massive. Plants, trees, shrubs, everything is stressed out, this weather is hard on stuff,” said Fisher.
“I encourage everybody to keep your plants as healthy as possible. That’s with regular watering and fertilizing, we’re going to cover stuff up again tonight. These fluctuations are tough on everything.”
