Plant Protection

This week was definitely a brisk one as a dry cold front moved into our area on Tuesday. This gave us some much cooler temperatures along with our first freeze which came earlier this year on Wednesday, November 7. Our annual first freeze occurs on average in mid- November. Did this freeze sneak up on some of you and did you simply forget about your green leafy babies outside? If your plants didn’t survive, then I am listing some ways to protect them in the future from that bone-chilling cold weather.

1.) Take any potted plants inside or put them in a sealed storage shed.
2.) If plants are too large for transportation then pound stakes in the ground and staple or drape clear plastic over the entire plant.
3.) Heat lamps are a good way to keep the plant and roots from freezing over.
4.) An extra layer of mulch can help, yet not prevent, a plant from freezing.


Don't prune immediately because if another sudden frost comes along, the dead foliage will give some protection against further damage to the living part of the plant. Also, you don't want to encourage new growth too soon, because it is more likely than old growth to be injured by another frost. If you're moving the plant to a more sheltered location or indoors, then you can prune the dead part away immediately. Make sure the plant is watered regularly, but don't drown it because frozen or damaged roots don't take up water as easily as they did before.

Most plants that aren’t tropical can go 2 to 3 degrees below freezing without any problems. Heat will be trapped by any overhang, so tender plants will usually not freeze if they are up against the house. Clouds or fog will trap the heat, usually preventing a frost.

It is also important to recognize the difference between a freeze and a frost. A Frost occurs on a clear, dry night when the temperature drops below 32 degrees and the water vapor freezes on the surface. As the water freezes it usually keeps the temp constant because energy is released. A freeze occurs when the humidity is very low and cold, Artic air moves into the region. This air is much colder than freezing.


~Leah Dailey
(X-Ray)