Quote:
Originally Posted by Ozzello
Back when they (citrus growers) were using overhead irrigation, during a freeze, the irrigation would be turned on all night creating an ice igloo canopy, supposedly to keep the grafted portion of the tree at 32F. It didn't work, unfortunately, and you lost all your fruit. Well, it wasn't fit for peeling and eating. Still ok to make OJ concentrate and feed cattle .
The best method the FL citrus farmer ever had to protect citrus, was the old fashioned way. Build a fire, well... a LOT of fires. The high faluting growers had grove pots to fill with diesel. In the 80s we lost the area citrus to freeze...twice, because nobody would come work all night helping the farmers keep the grove fires going. Why? One freeze on Christmas day night, (then 2 years of replanting) and then a freeze on Christmas eve. The 1st time the Gov. paid the farmers to clear and replant the groves. The 2nd time.... no dice. Retirement community property got real cheap though !
Covering (properly) can save your plants from frost damage in a light frost or save plants from dying from freeze during a short light freeze, BUT in a hard long freeze, you better add a heat source, I have seen tropical and sub-tropical plants die or damage even in a green house, because the heater broke down. Yes, right here in TV area. If it gets cold enough for long enough, covering a plant might not be enough.
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Also well said, I remember those hard freezes in the 80's, I was living in New Port Richey Florida at the time and it got down to 17-degrees Christmas Eve. When it get's that cold, it doesn't make any differents what you do the plant is dead any way. You didn't see a Queen Palm tree alive until you got about 50-miles south of Tampa. One of the major problems here in The Villages is that so many residents have sub-tropical plants in their yards. Make sure your landscaper knows what he is talking about. Check their back round, see if they have any kind of horticultural back round. See if they have workers comp on their employees, or any liability insurance. Remember if they don't, you are liable if someone gets hurt on your property. Remember, any one can grab a shovel and a wheelbarrow and call themselves a landscaper. Protect yourself, a lot of these people will say anything you want to here, and move on to their next victim.