After all the hard work you’ve put into your garden, don’t let your plants end up frost- and freeze-damaged! You’ve got plenty of time to get ready to protect them, so make sure you are stocked up on all of the essentials, like frost blankets and anchor pins. And follow these easy tips to make sure your garden comes into the spring in great shape.
Protection – When frost or freeze approaches, the best thing you can do is be prepared to cover your plants. Make sure that you have frost blankets and anchoring pins on hand so that you don’t have to make a last-minute trip to Kerby’s for supplies, and have a plan for covering up your most sensitive plants. Make sure that you cover plants all the way to the ground, resting the blanket lightly on the plant and then anchoring the blanket to the ground with the anchor pins. Not attaching the blanket allows cold winds to creep under easily and either blow the blanket off or push out the warm, trapped air that is protecting the plant. *** Never use plastic sheets to protect plants. This will often cause more damage to plants than being uncovered.
Water Well – The day before cold comes in, make sure you give your plants a good soaking. A lack of water when cold, dry winds are blowing can cause double the damage to your plants. Water plants at the roots only. Water on the leaves doesn’t help and can cause more damage for landscape plants.
Double Protection – If you’ve got tropical fruit trees in your yard, they can be some of the most sensitive plants. If needed for larger trees you can attach frost blankets together with binder clips, and if it is going to be super cold in your area, you can add a second blanket layer for increased insulation.
Bring the Heat – If you need added warmth to protect your most sensitive plants, add a string or two of incandescent Christmas lights. These little lights give off some heat and help keep the temperature up a few degrees. (Note: Use caution when mixing lights and blankets as it could cause a fire hazard.)
Well, now you know what we’ll be doing on Friday and Saturday at our house. Mangos, lychees, and macadamias to protect will keep us busy, but with the right materials on hand, we’re prepared for whatever Mother Nature throws our way. And now, you are too.