A perfect article for last Thursday's snow to the upcoming Monday icestorm

The Plant Man: Try these tips to keep plants safe from frost
The Tennessean

"How come weeds can survive the coldest winter and come back even stronger in the spring," a frustrated gardener said to me, "Yet half of my shrubs get frost-bitten and die!"
In fact, weeds can die back in freezing weather, too. It's often the seeds they dropped the previous summer that come on strong in the spring. Another good reason for careful weeding, but my frustrated friend wasn't in the mood to hear that.
Some plants can survive all but the coldest winter, but a little careful stewardship of your landscape can make all the difference.
In a recent Plant Man column, I responded to a reader who had recently moved from Texas to upstate New York and needed some quick first-time advice on caring for plants in a cold climate. If you missed that column, titled "Bed sheets keep plants cozy on freezing cold nights," you can find it at my Web site www.landsteward.org
That column spurred a lot of interest from other readers, some of whom were seeking more anti-frost advice, and others who were offering their own suggestions. Several readers pointed out that it isn't just northerly climes that are susceptible to frost-damaged plants. A cold snap can be a major problem even in the south, as any citrus farmer can tell you.
Here are a few helpful suggestions offered by readers:
>> If your plants need to be covered, do so just before sundown, then be sure to take the covers off when sun has risen and the temperature has risen above freezing.
>> Try to keep the underside of the cover from actually touching the plant. Elevating the cover slightly prevents the plant from getting contact freezer "burns".
>> To keep the cover from touching the plant, create a simple frame around it. This could consist of three or four sticks pushed into the soil around the plant, over which the cover can be draped.
>> To that, I would add that bamboo sticks would be my choice. They are sturdy, inexpensive and readily available at garden centers and elsewhere. They also have multiple uses around the garden when not serving as plant cover supports.
>> For larger plants, you can use lengths of PVC tubing, available from hardware stores. Whether you're using wooden sticks, bamboo or PVC tubing, the top, when in place, should be just slightly taller than the height of the plant. The idea is to create a close "tent" that keeps the warmer air around the plant.
>> For a row of low-growing plants, a reader suggested creating a "tunnel" of lightweight wire fencing, curved over the row of plants and secured at intervals along the sides with sticks, bamboo rods or short pieces of timber. At dusk, when expecting a frost, cover the wire frame with your preferred sheeting and secure the sides and each end with clothespins.
>> Weight the covering with bricks or stones to prevent cold air gusting in to your tent and to prevent your cover from blowing away.
>> Plastic milk bottles were mentioned by two readers. A plastic milk jug filled with water can act as a heater for small areas. Apparently, as the water changes from liquid to frozen, it gives off just enough "heat" to keep the immediately surrounding area above the freezing mark.
>> "Paint it black," was a suggestion from one reader. She paints empty, plastic gallon water jugs black, fills them with water, leaves them in the sun during the day to absorb a little heat and then places them under her plant cover as a mini space heater.
>> "The Planket" is a product I saw featured on HGTV, although I haven't tried it. It comes in various sizes and is shaped to go over shrubs or small trees. It has a handy drawstring around the rim, allowing it to be pulled closed. It's made of lightweight, breathable "green" fabric and could be a quick and easy way to keep plants warm and safe.