Cloches, Boxes & Buckets: Coloradans Fight To Save Plants From Late May Snowstorm

DENVER (CBS4) - Using buckets, boxes, glass cloches and more, Colorado residents are doing everything they can to shield their plants from the freezing temperatures on the way. On Friday, CBS4 spotted several homes in the metro area ready for the snow.

Lisa Santry actually planted most her annuals and vegetables on Sunday.

"The bound is cucumbers. I've got zucchinis in this bucket, carrots over here," Santry said. "I'm a little bummed. I'm a little worried cause we have seedlings in there too, but it's Colorado, I was ready."

Duncan Cameron planted his garden three weeks ago.

"I just wanted to take the precautions to protect the very sensitive plants - the tomatoes, egg plants, peppers, all the sensitive flowers," said Cameron. "I just took a bunch of cloches. It's kind of like a classic French approach to keeping your plants from freezing in early spring."

Country Fair Garden Center on Leetsdale Driver not only had to cover all their plants with frost cloth, but they sold out of protective covers on Thursday.

"It was madness, everybody just coming in and buying everything that we had. Right now we're just hunkering down," said Douglas Long, the Country Fair Garden Center assistant manager. "I think a lot of people are just waiting now."

Long tells CBS4 a few degrees can make the difference between plants freezing versus frosting.

"The one thing that's nice, is that it's a wet cold," Long said. "The moisture will actually help protect them to a degree, but that's up in like the 31-32 range and not down in the 28-29."

A cold snap in May might be typical but residents are hoping mother nature let's up.

"Yes, please lord, please, I hope my plants make it. I don't think they can last too much longer," Cameron said.