Gulf Coast freezes usually arrive fast and leave fast. A few hours of prep the afternoon before saves a season of regrowth.
Decide what needs protection
Check the forecast low, wind, and expected duration, then walk the garden while there is still daylight. Look for tender new growth, recently transplanted seedlings, exposed containers, and plants sitting in a low pocket where cold air settles. Mark the plants you will cover so nothing is missed after dark.
Water everything deeply the day before the freeze. Moist soil holds daytime heat far better than dry soil and releases it overnight around the roots.
Cover tender plants before sunset — that traps ground warmth under the cover. Old sheets, frost cloth, or cardboard boxes all work. Make sure covers reach the ground on all sides; heat escapes through gaps. Take covers off the next morning once temperatures climb above freezing so plants don't cook.
Prioritize by tenderness: citrus, tomatoes, peppers, basil, and young transplants first. Established natives, brassicas, and root crops usually shrug off a light freeze — collards and kale often taste sweeter after one.
Move container plants against a south-facing wall or into a garage. Pots freeze from the sides, so roots are more exposed than the same plant in the ground.
Disconnect and drain hoses and cover outdoor faucets. Mulch bare soil 2–3 inches deep to insulate roots.
Skip fertilizing for a week on either side of a freeze — you don't want to push tender new growth into the cold. If something does get bitten, wait: don't prune freeze-damaged wood until new growth shows in spring. That damaged canopy protects what's still alive underneath.
What to check the next morning
Uncover plants after temperatures rise, then look for firm green stems, upright growing tips, and leaves that are still flexible. Freeze damage may appear water-soaked, dark, or collapsed. Do not assume the whole plant is dead from damaged leaves alone. Keep the root zone normally moist, avoid fertilizer, and give the plant several days to show where living tissue remains before making pruning decisions.