APEX, N.C. — Strawberry farmers did not get much sleep Monday. They were out trying to protect their fields from an early morning freeze.

Strawberry grower Karma Lee covered her fields with quilts to protect her crop Monday afternoon.

"It's a tremendous financial investment and you hate to lose a significant percentage of that just because of one night," she said. "I'll be up all night long sitting in my truck and spotlighting the fields and checking all the heads at least every fifteen minutes. So I won't be sleeping at all."

Just after 7 a.m. Tuesday, Lee said her covered crops did well, staying just above freezing despite outside the temperature of 25° Fahrenheit.

Farmers hope to have the fields ready for picking by April 17.

The cold weather could also put a freeze on flowers. Before a freeze, plant experts suggest throwing a sheet over fragile blooms like azaleas. Pansies and tulips are more tolerant of cold weather.