Colder weather coming, Master Gardener has tips for protecting plants

January 5, 2014*By*Meta Minton*2 CommentsSumter County usually encounters four to five hard freezes each year.A “hard freeze” is when temperatures drop to below 32 degrees for more that 4 hours. Our freezes usually occur between Dec. 1 and March 15. The last two winters have been very mild.“Now, however, the forecast for Monday and Tuesday night is in the mid-twenties for our area. Time to prepare our outside plants,” said Nancy King UF/IFAS Sumter County Master Gardener.Here are some tips she provided:Before a FreezeMake sure that your sprinkler system is turn off. Do not water the night that the freeze will occur.Bring tender plants inside or into the garage. Group small potted plants together and cover if you do not have room inside.If pots are too large to be moved, then cover the plants with sheets, blankets, yard waste bags, cardboard boxes, etc. Do not use plastic bags. Make sure your covering extends from the top to bottom of the plant. Place rocks or garden pins around bottom to secure it down to the ground. The idea of covering is to trap the warmth of the soil and not let cold air get in at the base. If plants might be damaged by the cover laying on the stems or branches, put a stake in the ground to keep the cover up off plant.Coverings may be left in place for several days if the freezing nights and overcast days persist, but uncover during the day, if hot sun comes out.Pick any fruit you may have left on trees before it freezes.After Freeze care of PlantsTake a “wait and see” approach. Often time the best thing is to do nothing. Do not apply fertilizer or more water to help plants recover.The more “woody” a plant is, the longer you wait to prune. Pruning these plants will be after March15th.Leave the dry, damaged vegetation around plants to help protect the base from the next freeze. Remove only soft, mushy freeze damage to prevent rotting.Try not to be too concerned about losing any plants. Our ground does not freeze and damaged plants usually recover in the spring. However, plants not suited to zone 9a may not recover after a sustained hard freeze. These plants include, but are not limited to, crotons, ti plants, pygmy date palms and queen palms.*

[gomoho]

WOW - this is worse than preparing for a hurricane!!! I have tucked in my Ti plant, Bird of Paradise, oyster plants, ginger and foxtail ferns. Don't have the material to protect the Ixora, croton or hibiscus so I'm hoping the fact they are on the south side of the house by the heat pump may offer them some protection.

Stay warm gardening friends and let's hope for the best!!!

[cquick]

I don't have very many "tender" plants. I go with the "what lives, lives" philosophy.

[shcisamax]

Foxtails? They need to be covered?

[2BNTV]

Originally Posted by Bosoxfan

Colder weather coming, Master Gardener has tips for protecting plants

January 5, 2014*By*Meta Minton*2 CommentsSumter County usually encounters four to five hard freezes each year.A “hard freeze” is when temperatures drop to below 32 degrees for more that 4 hours. Our freezes usually occur between Dec. 1 and March 15. The last two winters have been very mild.“Now, however, the forecast for Monday and Tuesday night is in the mid-twenties for our area. Time to prepare our outside plants,” said Nancy King UF/IFAS Sumter County Master Gardener.Here are some tips she provided:Before a FreezeMake sure that your sprinkler system is turn off. Do not water the night that the freeze will occur.Bring tender plants inside or into the garage. Group small potted plants together and cover if you do not have room inside.If pots are too large to be moved, then cover the plants with sheets, blankets, yard waste bags, cardboard boxes, etc. Do not use plastic bags. Make sure your covering extends from the top to bottom of the plant. Place rocks or garden pins around bottom to secure it down to the ground. The idea of covering is to trap the warmth of the soil and not let cold air get in at the base. If plants might be damaged by the cover laying on the stems or branches, put a stake in the ground to keep the cover up off plant.Coverings may be left in place for several days if the freezing nights and overcast days persist, but uncover during the day, if hot sun comes out.Pick any fruit you may have left on trees before it freezes.After Freeze care of PlantsTake a “wait and see” approach. Often time the best thing is to do nothing. Do not apply fertilizer or more water to help plants recover.The more “woody” a plant is, the longer you wait to prune. Pruning these plants will be after March15th.Leave the dry, damaged vegetation around plants to help protect the base from the next freeze. Remove only soft, mushy freeze damage to prevent rotting.Try not to be too concerned about losing any plants. Our ground does not freeze and damaged plants usually recover in the spring. However, plants not suited to zone 9a may not recover after a sustained hard freeze. These plants include, but are not limited to, crotons, ti plants, pygmy date palms and queen palms.*

Thanks for posting this info. I just moved here and this is my first winter. I turned the water sprinkler control to the "off" postion and covered the one plant I have, with a couple of sheets. I sure hope it survives, this two day blast.

This was extremely helpful to me.

Thanks again.

[gomoho]

Originally Posted by shcisamax

Foxtails? They need to be covered?

I was wondering the same thing so did some research on the web. They will probably die back, but survive and come back next spring. I planted mine this summer so they are kinda, sorta established and I didn't want to take any chances so I wrapped them up tight in towels with chip clips holding the towel closed. They are also in the northwest side of the yard which will be where the winds are supposed to be worst; however, I have noticed since the sun went down the wind has decreased. Good thing to keep the covers in place, bad to allow the frost to settle.

[shcisamax]

I planted last February. Mine are all facing due south and have mulch. I am not wrapping. Bring it on.

[LndLocked]

Originally Posted by cquick

I don't have very many "tender" plants. I go with the "what lives, lives" philosophy.

ding ding ding .... winner!!!

If your plants get frozen and die (temps like we saw last night are NOT uncommon here) it is natures way of telling you ...... don't plant that here!

[Serenoa]

Originally Posted by LndLocked

ding ding ding .... winner!!!

If your plants get frozen and die (temps like we saw last night are NOT uncommon here) it is natures way of telling you ...... don't plant that here!

But some avid gardeners (like myself) like to push their zone limits a little, and enjoy trying to grow plants that "aren't supposed to grow here". I get a lot of personal satisfaction & pride having a landscape that doesn't look like every other one on my block. This past w/e I probably spent over $100 on extra pine straw & mulch to get some of my more tender plants tucked in & ready for the cold. And I can't wait to see my power bill after having heat lamps on three of my less cold hardy palms for 36+ hours straight. To me it's a hobby I enjoy & well worth the extra labor & expense.

[tippyclubb]

Originally Posted by cquick

I don't have very many "tender" plants. I go with the "what lives, lives" philosophy.

I'm sitting up north worried about all the shrubs freezing and dying. I'm going to take on your attitude and if it all dies it can be replaced.

[gomoho]

Originally Posted by Serenoa

But some avid gardeners (like myself) like to push their zone limits a little, and enjoy trying to grow plants that "aren't supposed to grow here". I get a lot of personal satisfaction & pride having a landscape that doesn't look like every other one on my block. This past w/e I probably spent over $100 on extra pine straw & mulch to get some of my more tender plants tucked in & ready for the cold. And I can't wait to see my power bill after having heat lamps on three of my less cold hardy palms for 36+ hours straight. To me it's a hobby I enjoy & well worth the extra labor & expense.

I'm with you Serenoa - my hobby as well - and I love the tropicals. Usually try not to spend a lot of $$$ on a marginal zone plant, but love them enough to try and get them through this cold snap. Enjoy.

[LndLocked]

Originally Posted by Serenoa

But some avid gardeners (like myself) like to push their zone limits a little, and enjoy trying to grow plants that "aren't supposed to grow here". I get a lot of personal satisfaction & pride having a landscape that doesn't look like every other one on my block. This past w/e I probably spent over $100 on extra pine straw & mulch to get some of my more tender plants tucked in & ready for the cold. And I can't wait to see my power bill after having heat lamps on three of my less cold hardy palms for 36+ hours straight. To me it's a hobby I enjoy & well worth the extra labor & expense.

Your money, your time, your effort ..... your choice. Life is full of them.

I did the same for a long time (couple of decades in fact), as I love tropical plants (in fact I love all things tropical) .... now I choose to spend those 3 things on something else and plan to move to where all things tropical naturally are as soon as I am able.