JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – We know you have sensitive plants that can’t be unearthed, moved, or covered when the temperatures drop and freeze starts. What can you do to save these beloved items from being destroyed in a freeze?
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Matt Barlow from Earthworks in Jacksonville offers tips for keeping your green leaves from turning brown.
Number 1: the duration of the cold is a significant factor and a slight dip for a short time will not cause much damage as a flat line freeze for multiple hours.
Barlow likes to use the ice cube tray analogy, “If you place water into an ice cube tray and put it into the freezer and then check on it in a half hour the water inside the tray is generally still not frozen but after multiple hours, the water begins to freeze. It is the same with plants a short dip into freezing temperatures generally does not freeze the moisture inside the plants, but long flat-line freezes will certainly cause the moisture inside the plant’s cells to freeze, expand, and then burst which causes the lethal damage.
This is why it is important to follow our weather forecasts to gauge how long the freezing temperatures will last in your region.
Number 2: protecting plants with frost cloth at or near freezing temps is important to protect plants from superficial damage. It is ideal that the frost cloth does not touch the plants at the same time it drapes to the ground and can be pinned down or use heavy objects to secure.
Barlow says, “remember that frost can occur at temperatures well above freezing although these warmer frost temperatures generally don’t kill the plants they can cause significant superficial damage which can cause the plants to die back.”
When using frost cloth, it’s the warmth from the ground that keeps the plants warm, which is why the frost cloth needs to be secured to the ground to trap the heat. You can use stakes to raise the cloth above the plant to avoid touching the leaves.
Native plants, and plants that are zoned for our area (USDA ZONE 8b-9b depending on where you are) will not need protection with a frost cloth.
It is important to know not only your plant varieties but also their USDA zone when it comes to knowing whether or not they need to be covered during freezing temps.
Number 3: irrigating or watering the soil before freezing temperatures arrive can aid with some protection from frost damage to the plants.
Barlow suggests irrigating in the mornings when the temperatures are generally the coldest. More damage can occur if the plants are being irrigated while freezing temperatures occur.
It is important to turn off your irrigation if they are scheduled to run during periods when temperatures dip two or around freezing.
Finally, bring in all house plants or place them under an outdoor table to help keep the frost from settling on the leaves.
Reach out to locally owned garden centers like Earthworks to receive the most accurate information on how to protect your plants from cold weather.