Since I live in Florida, I have several plants in my yard which don't like freezing temperatures. I see lots of people putting sheets and blankets over plants when a freeze is threatening. I was going to get a several large visqueen tarps to cover all my plants, since they are many. A lady we know said Visqueen was not good to be used for this. She couldn't offer any reason why, but warned against it.
Anyone have any helpful ideas for freeze protection in the Sunny South?
Thanks,
bob...
160 feet is a lot of territory (and work 
) when it comes to frost/freeze protection.
One reason why Helpful Gardeners aren't jumping to say YES YES may be that, where plastic sheeting actually touches the plant, freeze damage is likely to occur anyway. Here's what the Sunset National Garden Book (1997) says:
"[If a freeze is likely] shelter any such plants that are in the ground: use burlap or plastic film--even evergreen boughs will help--secured over frames or stakes so that the covering material does not touch the plant. (Freezing is likely where the material touches foliage.) Remove coverings during the daytime.
"After a frost. If plants have been damaged by frost, don't hurry to prune them. Premature trimming may stimulate new, tender growth that will be nipped by later frosts. And you may mistake still-alive growth for dead. Wait until new growth begins in spring; then remove only wood that is clearly dead."
I kept all my orchids alive--and my avocado tree--in the December 1990 killing freeze here in the Bay Area by draping sheets over them and running a little space heater out to their area. I also watered them every evening just as it got dark with warm water.
Your trees are much larger than my avocado was, but I thought I'd let you know that there was something that worked. Is there any way you can get warm water to the trees?
Cynthia H.
Sunset Zone 17, USDA Zone 9
) when it comes to frost/freeze protection.One reason why Helpful Gardeners aren't jumping to say YES YES may be that, where plastic sheeting actually touches the plant, freeze damage is likely to occur anyway. Here's what the Sunset National Garden Book (1997) says:
"[If a freeze is likely] shelter any such plants that are in the ground: use burlap or plastic film--even evergreen boughs will help--secured over frames or stakes so that the covering material does not touch the plant. (Freezing is likely where the material touches foliage.) Remove coverings during the daytime.
"After a frost. If plants have been damaged by frost, don't hurry to prune them. Premature trimming may stimulate new, tender growth that will be nipped by later frosts. And you may mistake still-alive growth for dead. Wait until new growth begins in spring; then remove only wood that is clearly dead."
I kept all my orchids alive--and my avocado tree--in the December 1990 killing freeze here in the Bay Area by draping sheets over them and running a little space heater out to their area. I also watered them every evening just as it got dark with warm water.
Your trees are much larger than my avocado was, but I thought I'd let you know that there was something that worked. Is there any way you can get warm water to the trees?
Cynthia H.
Sunset Zone 17, USDA Zone 9
Hi Cynthia_h,
Yes I do have a way to get well water to the plants roots. I have a simple 3/4" pipe with holes that spray water on the base of each plant. The water is 72° when it leaves the pipe, but it's only a small stream (3/64" opening in the pipe) of water. I don't know how much heat it would provide. I guess it's better than nothing.
I could also put something on top of the plants where the visqueen is draped over them.
bob...
Yes I do have a way to get well water to the plants roots. I have a simple 3/4" pipe with holes that spray water on the base of each plant. The water is 72° when it leaves the pipe, but it's only a small stream (3/64" opening in the pipe) of water. I don't know how much heat it would provide. I guess it's better than nothing.
I could also put something on top of the plants where the visqueen is draped over them.
bob...
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applestar
- Mod
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For that amount of space, I think what you need to do is look into creating a warmer micro-climate for your plants.
I'm not an expert, but two ideas for creating significant changes are:
(1) Concrete, brick, or stone paving to soak up heat and radiate it back during the night. I would leave a planting area around the trees and install the paving beyond the drip line.
(2) Fence/wall/building on north side of the planting, or surrounding the planting area in a court yard effect. Again a stone, brick or concrete could help. Darker material would soak up the heat more, but lighter material would reflect the light more.
Obviously, these can be expensive and you might be looking for a more cost-effective solution. You would also have to consider the effect this type of hardscaping would create during the warmer season.
On a smaller scale, I suppose a dark-colored mulch (Dark stone/gravel, "black" root mulch, black plastic, etc.) could help, as well as a temporary wind-barrier fence made of burlap or tarp (I once saw a photo of this type of protection for an orchard, though I don't remember where now.)
I'm not an expert, but two ideas for creating significant changes are:
(1) Concrete, brick, or stone paving to soak up heat and radiate it back during the night. I would leave a planting area around the trees and install the paving beyond the drip line.
(2) Fence/wall/building on north side of the planting, or surrounding the planting area in a court yard effect. Again a stone, brick or concrete could help. Darker material would soak up the heat more, but lighter material would reflect the light more.
Obviously, these can be expensive and you might be looking for a more cost-effective solution. You would also have to consider the effect this type of hardscaping would create during the warmer season.
On a smaller scale, I suppose a dark-colored mulch (Dark stone/gravel, "black" root mulch, black plastic, etc.) could help, as well as a temporary wind-barrier fence made of burlap or tarp (I once saw a photo of this type of protection for an orchard, though I don't remember where now.)
Yup, that would be expensive. We are in the country anyway and that sort of landscape would look out of place. I do have a wood fence the full length of the area I'm trying to protect.
The reason I am growing this conglomeration of plants is to cover up an ugly 12 unit trailer park inhabited by Mexicans who are for the most part illegal aliens and don't keep things looking to neat; if you know what I mean. I don't have a problem with the people, just their colors and the fact that they think the whole world is their garbage can. I pick up at least 5 Walmart plastic bags from my yard each week and some weeks a lot more. They just blow over the fence because they were simply thrown on the ground. Until I got permission from the property owner to close off that back four acres of this property, they were using the woods for a dump. Car motors, unwanted furnature (which they would sometimes burn), broken glass everywhere etc.
Maybe the water, visqueen and something on the plants to keep the plastic from toughing the plants themselves will help. It only freezes occasionally and sometimes not at all here in the Tampa area, so it's a hit and miss thing. I just want to be ready next time. It's been two years since the last one and it wiped out a lot of stuff, so I'm planning ahead this year.
Thanks,
bob...
The reason I am growing this conglomeration of plants is to cover up an ugly 12 unit trailer park inhabited by Mexicans who are for the most part illegal aliens and don't keep things looking to neat; if you know what I mean. I don't have a problem with the people, just their colors and the fact that they think the whole world is their garbage can. I pick up at least 5 Walmart plastic bags from my yard each week and some weeks a lot more. They just blow over the fence because they were simply thrown on the ground. Until I got permission from the property owner to close off that back four acres of this property, they were using the woods for a dump. Car motors, unwanted furnature (which they would sometimes burn), broken glass everywhere etc.
Maybe the water, visqueen and something on the plants to keep the plastic from toughing the plants themselves will help. It only freezes occasionally and sometimes not at all here in the Tampa area, so it's a hit and miss thing. I just want to be ready next time. It's been two years since the last one and it wiped out a lot of stuff, so I'm planning ahead this year.
Thanks,
bob...
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applestar
- Mod
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- Joined: Thu May 01, 2008 7:21 pm
- Location: Zone 6, NJ (3/M)4/E ~ 10/M(11/B)
Hmm, in that case you might want to check out the hedge links I posted here:
https://www.helpfulgardener.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=53792&sid=a1ff7c606c38a870dffa44f0f53c6830
If you utilize hardy, fast-growing material for the hedge, you could grow a micro-climate wind-barrier/heat trap with those to protect your more desirable/tender plantings. I recommend you use native plants which will provide food/habitat for wildlife and help restore Florida's ecological balance, while creating an air-purification zone.
On-line search for some info as I can think of several examples from reference books I've read in the past but have no way to post them.
Good luck!
https://www.helpfulgardener.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=53792&sid=a1ff7c606c38a870dffa44f0f53c6830
If you utilize hardy, fast-growing material for the hedge, you could grow a micro-climate wind-barrier/heat trap with those to protect your more desirable/tender plantings. I recommend you use native plants which will provide food/habitat for wildlife and help restore Florida's ecological balance, while creating an air-purification zone.
On-line search for some info as I can think of several examples from reference books I've read in the past but have no way to post them.
Good luck!