Sunday, March 20, 2016

How To Use An Old Sun Umbrella

 Last year we waited too long to purchase our spring flowers for the deck and our outdoor pots on the patio and front porch, so there were no pansies left by the time I decided to get to the garden center to make my purchase.  So this year we purchased early, full well knowing that there may still be some cold nights that they needed to be covered or brought inside.
My husband wheeled the large pots from the back patio into his lower garage and they are sharing some time with the JD lawnmower and all the rakes, hoes and outdoor tools that also live there.
The tools don't mind sharing.
Last night it did indeed get cold, down into the lower 30's although it did not freeze, but you can never be too careful in caring for your flowers since they are not a cheap investment and you want them to live for your enjoyment as long as possible.
We purchased this patio set as well as the umbrella way back in 1998 when we lived in Arizona, and the umbrella looks horrible with striped areas due to fading from the intense sunlight in the Southwest, but my husband hangs onto things that he thinks may at some point be useful.
Last night that usefulness came in handy.
 He decided to place the umbrella on the table in the screened-in porch, carry the potted flowers from the deck inside,
and set them onto the table.
 then he lowered the umbrella so that it served as a lid and let it protect the flowers for the night.
 This morning the pansies and the lettuce are all safe and sound,
 but they will remain there on the table since tonight has the possibility of more cold temperatures.



 How about you?
Are your springtime flowers potted yet and did you need to protect them last night?
Do you use towels, blankets, or some other method of protection for them?

8 comments :

  1. Brilliant idea! My hubby likes to hoard things too and I'm a thrower away type girl. Don't tell him but when he's not looking things tend to end up in the dumpster anyway.

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  2. I put all my pansies and my strawberries into the garage for a few nights - last night we dropped to about 10 degrees, perhaps lower - it was 12 when I awoke. I'm sure glad I took the time to protect my little flowers! The garage thermometer read about 25 when I checked first thing....the pansies were a little wilted but bounced back quickly. We expect to have warm weather back again midweek and they'll come back out to the sun at that point. Great use of the old umbrella!!

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  3. One of my grandchildren used to say . . .
    "Good 'dea gramma!" I guess that fits here . . .
    "Good 'dea!"
    Nothing purchased or planted here. I purchase around May 1 and move things in and out depending on the temperatures.
    I usually plant things close to Memorial Day . . . even so, we can have cold weather dips and if so, I cover with old sheets . . .

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  4. Excellent idea! Well done! Much better than draping old sheets over plants. xo

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  5. Well that's smart!! We all have one of those umbrellas hanging around. Great idea for unreliable weather this time of year.

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  6. Thats a great way to protect your flowers! I also love your new bunny---its cute! Will the cold snap there be over soon? Its chilly here as well

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  7. What a great idea! Your pansies look lovely.

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  8. Pansies should be fine..Not sure about the lettuce..I planted 2 Lenten Rose a few weeks ago but I put them in the garage for a few weeks first so they could get used to the cold..They have done well..

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