How to keep your garden green during the frost

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — Frost is likely across Middle Tennessee and Southern Kentucky this week.

According to the forecast, temperatures will drop into the 30s on both Wednesday and Thursday mornings.

If you want to keep your gardens looking colorful, there are some plants you need to cover, others you need to bring inside and some you can leave alone.

Experts at Bates Nursery and Garden Center in Nashville said you can leave the shrubs and trees alone because the frost is good for them, and it will help start their winter dormancy period.

Austin Lohin, a horticulturist at Bates Nursery and Garden Center, said the plants you need to protect to lengthen the growing season are certain vegetables and summer annuals.

"A lot of your summertime annuals that we have are still looking pretty good right now," said Lohin. "That's definitely still going on and you can extend that season as well by covering up overnight the next couple of nights, because they are not going to like that, especially things like tender herbs, like basil is a popular plant that a lot of people grow."

He added that Mums in full bloom can be brought inside to allow the flowers to last longer into the fall.

Caroline Gant, greenhouse manager at Bates, said Tuesday night is your last chance to bring in indoor or tropical plants that were placed outside.

"This time of year, if you haven't already, started bringing your house plants in from outside if they were outside. Now is the time to go ahead and get them. I know I'm going to frantically be pulling my plants inside," Gant told News 2.

In addition, Gant said people should remember to wipe down the leaves and look for pests before bringing plants back inside for winter.