Cold weather preparation

So here in sunny Southwest Florida we are expecting low temps into the 30's.  This means its time to cover up the plants so that they survive the cold.  Most of the stores are out of the plant covering material but that is very expensive anyways.  I am using 3 mil plastic sheet found in the paint isle of Lowes.  It is not ideal but will work.  Other options people use are septic drain field liner and landscape weed block.  To hold it up off the tops of the plants I cut pvc pipe 18" in length and then pounded it into the ground.  The plastic sheet was put over the beds and held down with landscape stone.  We will see in a few days if the plants survived.