TUCSON (KGUN9-TV) - We are not out of the cold nights yet. So there's still a need to take precautions.
The right way to protect your place is not always as obvious as you may think.
Mesquite Valley Growers can keep its delicate plants in greenhouses but they know that's not an option for most of us.
Jon Childers says not every plant needs a cloth cover but it's easier for most people to cover them all and not worry about which ones need protection.
KGUN9 reporter Craig Smith asked: “You don't want to use impermeable plastic right?”
Jon Childers: “Never use plastic.”
Smith: “Why is that?”
Childers: “You always want fabric. We sell this product. It's called frost cloth. It provides about three or four degrees of protection. If we're having a really hard frost it's a good idea to maybe put a utility light in with the plant. Make the cover go all the way into the ground also secure them. When it's cold it seems like it's windy."
And it's very important to use stakes to lift the cloth above the shrubs or the cold will just transfer through.
Tucson Fire Captain Julian Herrera says winter leads to people risking fire and carbon monoxide poisoning when they crank up a gas stove to stay warm. Then there are space heaters.
“People put things too close to heating elements. Whether it's next to the bed or some sort of sheets or drapes. Those can catch on fire and create some fire issues."
At Ace Hardware on Tanque Verde, pipe insulation usually sells more in January but the cold snap called in the customers looking to protect their plumbing.
Phil Warren says, “Wherever they can see pipes coming out of the ground going into their home or if they have a storage unit that has water going to it. Any place where you can see exposed pipes you want to look at those and make sure they're covered."
