The "Frost Free" Date

It's almost here! May 15th- The Frost Free date! Actually, it's the AVERAGE frost free date for our area, but everyone around here (including me) treats it like it is a law that cannot be changed or wrong for any reason. If we have a frost on May 16th, we all wander around in shock, wondering HOW this could've happened! "...It can't be- the OFFICIAL FROST FREE DATE was yesterday!"

To be fair, that rarely happens- it gets CLOSE to being that cold sometimes, but generally after that date it's pretty safe. i sometimes think the date could be a couple of weeks earlier, except almost every year it happens during that time period that the weather gets warm or at least settles so you feel you can plant the tomatoes and stick the tropicals on the patio, and then weget ONE more night of freezing temps! Just enough that the pink and white leaves of the variegated Kiwi vine freeze to a crisp (and then come back a plain green when they re-emerge), and the beautiful acid yellow leaves of my "Tiger Eyes" Sumac turn brown and ugly!The 'maters can be covered, the house plants can be taken back in, but i've tried covering the Kiwi and the Sumac, and it does no good. Tonight may be that night, although i have heard varying reports, 40 degrees (F) or down to 36 degrees, so it may get dicey! And, of course, the Gunnera (who is behaving himself and throwing some fairly large leaves) can be brought in, but he's in a large container i can't negotiate by myself and don't want to have to bring in. i think i'm just gonna grit my teeth and hope for the best!