Frost in August | The Fight to Save Our Summer Blooms

Last week, I shared the cloud that hung over our hearts and then quite literally over our flower field: a frost in August. For most of the week, we took what time we could in the field, working between tumultuous winds that howled loud enough to drown out the yips of coyotes each night. Starting on Friday, the wind came in strong, blowing steadily at 10 miles per hour with gusts up to 30. It was a clear sign that a cold front was on its way, and we needed to start thinking about frost protection for our flowers.

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The relentless winds made it difficult to take the necessary actions to protect our crops from frost. With each refresh of the weather app, the temperatures only continued to plummet. I found myself regretting my frustration over a 35-degree low. As the night approached, it teased us with a slight rise to 37 degrees, only to drop back down, at one point even showing a chilling 31 degrees... in August! These weather challenges in gardening can be tough, especially when you're trying to grow heat-loving flowers like zinnias, dahlias, and cosmos in an arid, high desert climate.

By Saturday afternoon, I was starting to feel emotional and defeated. The wind kept blowing, which meant covering the crops wasn’t happening, and the air kept feeling colder. After weeks of temperatures in the high 80s and low 90s, a day in the low 60s felt frigid. Looking at the mountains, the clouds and sky were moody and bleak. We could even see it snowing up there! Angry winds and dark skies brewed a feeling of darkness and defeat in me.

The field was a rainbow of color with some of our healthiest, most vibrant crops we have ever had. Now they were being whipped by the wind, and the promised freezing temperatures were not good. All the months of planting, weeding with sweat dripping down our faces, sore backs and feet—all of it potentially lost because of a couple of hours of unseasonably cold temperatures... right when the flowers were finally hitting their stride. Weddings on the books, orders for florists, and… it is still summer!

Saturday was emotional. I cried. Thankfully, my husband and daughters gave me a group hug, piling on me to squish all the negativity out of me. It was time to shift away from the pity party.

As expected, once sunset began approaching, the wind finally began to settle. As a family, we set out to do everything in our power to save the flowers. They just needed to make it through this one night, then we were back in the clear with low temperatures in the high 40s and even 50s. Graham began hammering in the last of the rebar we needed to finish putting low tunnels over key rows, including our eldest daughter’s row of tomatoes that are just starting to fruit. While we did that, our daughter went to find some of the most beautiful flowers to do the one thing she could think of doing: putting together some pretty arrangements for us to be able to enjoy the flowers, in case the frost swept them away from us.

We pulled out our giant piece of silage tarp. With all hands on deck, we battled the wind, with the white side up and some top-rail pipe, we were able to cover four rows: our three lisianthus and one of the specialty zinnia rows. Then we just kept going down the flower patch, covering each row we could with either greenhouse plastic or frost cloth. In the end, we were able to protect all the zinnias, cosmos, and celosia. Initially, we didn’t think we’d be able to pull off covering the cosmos or two of the six rows of zinnias, but the wind cooperated, and we had enough makeshift materials on hand to pull it off.

Lastly, we had certain colors of dahlias—whites and cafe au laits—with orders coming up, so we did our old trick of placing box fans in the rows in key areas. With the thunderous roar of the fans, it kept the air moving, making the frost unable to settle on the plants. We ran another cycle of irrigation, moved all the seedlings we had outside back into the propagation houses, and watered them thoroughly as well.

From there, feeling like we did everything we could, our fingertips raw from the cold and grasping plastic with wet gloves, we went to dinner. Throughout the night, I continuously checked the weather every two hours. Graham got up and checked the stats on the weather station too. With the wind subsided, the yips of the coyotes also kept me awake. At 4 am, I checked the temps, and it was reading 34°F, at 5 am still 34°F, at 6 am 33°F, and at 7 am it went back to 34°F. At that point, we finally rolled out of bed to go assess the damage. Groggy and with a steaming cup of coffee in hand, wearing a beanie on an August morning, we walked the field.

The sunflowers we didn’t even try covering stood tall—that’s a good sign. We continued down the path, going right for the dahlia patches. No browning on the flowers or slumped stems. Promising. We went to the younger patch of dahlias and could see where the cold weaved in random spots, the glistening of the frost, and the deepened green... definitely some damage. Still, not horrible. The plants will rebound, and many were unscathed. A cosmo volunteer was wilting from the cold nearby. Uh-oh. We made our way back to check the crops under the cover, dry and no frost damage—we succeeded! Some broken stems from tugging plastic and frost cloth on the crops, a few zinnia heads browned with damage, but all in all, everything looks healthy, happy, and as vibrant as before.

Growing in our climate, our experience has taught us that we grow in an incredibly difficult one. Even though the USDA may have us listed as a hardiness zone 7a, between our elevation, aridness, and extreme temperature swings, we don’t have the behavior of a typical moderate climate. Our lows and highs may not be as extreme, but the swings are abrupt and can be brutal. Ultimately, our goal is to continue to invest in key infrastructure to help us combat these challenges better.

As flower farmers, we’re constantly reminded that we are at the mercy of nature's whims. The unexpected frost in August tested our resilience, our adaptability, and our determination to protect the crops we’ve poured so much of ourselves into. While the stress and worry of seeing the temperatures drop were intense, it was a powerful reminder of the importance of preparation and quick thinking.

Through teamwork, quick action, and a bit of creative problem-solving, we managed to shield most of our crops from harm. The relief of seeing our flowers standing strong in the morning light was worth every effort, every late-night weather check, and every gust of wind battled. It’s these moments that remind us why we do what we do. The beauty of a thriving flower field and the joy it brings to others is a reward like no other.

Moving forward, we know there will be more challenges, more unexpected frosts, and more days where the winds howl louder than our hopes. But with each experience, we learn, we adapt, and we grow stronger. Flower farming in a climate as unpredictable as ours may be tough, but it’s also filled with moments of triumph, beauty, and growth. And that, for us, is what makes it all worthwhile.

Until next time, we are looking forward to helping you hand blooms soon!

Jessica & Graham

Tips to Survive a Sudden Frost:

Keep the Plants Healthy
Healthy plants are more resilient to stress. Build healthy soil, use compost tea, and treat pests and diseases preventatively to reduce plant stress and help them better withstand sudden cold snaps.
Hydrate
In an arid climate, hydration is crucial. Well-watered plants are less likely to freeze because water acts as insulation. Moist soil retains heat, protecting roots. Run extra irrigation before frost to keep plants hydrated and soil warm.
Cover What You Can
When temperatures drop below 37°F, cover frost-sensitive crops like zinnias, dahlias, celosia, and cosmos. Use low tunnels and frost cloth to protect against unexpected drops in temperature, even if it’s just for one night.
Air Circulation
Use fans to prevent frost from settling on large plants like dahlias, which may be too big to cover effectively. In simple terms, fans keep air moving, reducing the risk of frost damage to flowers.
Let Go
After taking precautions, sometimes nature is beyond our control. Accepting this helps to manage the emotional toll. Each challenge is a learning opportunity, and resilience is key in farming.