We are on the cusp of a frigid couple of days this week, and with temperatures dropping into the single digits even some of your hardiest plants may need a little bit of help.
Let’s start by going over plants that will do fine in this cold: Any trees or shrubs that have lost their leaves for the winter will be fine. They are dormant and, absent the roots actually freezing, should be fine. One exception is container plants. Any trees or shrubs – any plant really – that is in a container should get special attention as this cold snap can freeze the roots of container plants far easier than plants in the ground. All of your winter annuals should be fine, and some perennials that have managed to stick around this long, even if they won’t tolerate the cold without dying back to the ground, will be okay. Don’t panic if you see some of these plants die back to the ground. Come spring they will explode with life again.
If you do have container plants that you cannot bring inside, make sure to give them a good deep watering and then wrap the container in blankets or frost cloth. This method works well for your other plants in the ground that need protection: frost cloth or blankets should cover the plant entirely and be staked to the ground. If you’re using moving blankets or something that is more difficult to stake you can anchor them with bricks or rock. Again, deep watering is one of the best ways to prevent freeze damage. Water has to lose quite a bit of energy in order to make the change over to ice. This means that, until it freezes, it will stay right at 32°F until it finally gets cold enough to change to ice. For plants in the ground it will likely never freeze in our area due to the natural warmth of the ground.
Deep watering before a freeze also ensures that your plants are properly hydrated. The same principle we discussed above also applies here. Dried out plants can freeze much easier than plants that are well watered. Frost cloth or blankets help here as well by keeping the harsh winds off of the plant. During cold spells like this that frigid air can cause wind burn and damage leaves on your evergreen plants.
Need help with your irrigation or sprinkler system? Does your garden need an overhaul or just a general checkup? Maybe you just need a helping hand to protect sensitive plants from freeze and frost. Give us a call at 817-202-4808, or drop us a line and contact us here, to find out how Desiree can help you create a wonderful garden with a budget you can afford.
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