Florida Winter Plant Protection

Plant Protection Tips:

Even though Florida experiences moderate winter temperatures, a freeze can still occur. All it takes is one night of exposure to wind and temperatures between 30-40 degrees, and your tender plants or shrubs can receive cold damage if not protected properly.

Here are some tips on what to before and after cold temperatures occur.

How to Protect and Cover Plant’s and Shubs:

Covering plants and shrubs that are not cold hardy, is the best way to protect them when a freeze is predicted to happen. Use cloth, sheets, quilts, burlap, or covering you can get from local nurseries made specifically for plants.

Do not use plastic for it will cause water droplets from condensation to appear on the leaves which will result in burning them. Covers that extend to the ground can lessen cold damage by reducing heat loss. Even though it’s hard to do try to keep the cover from coming in contact with the foilage, this can cause the leaves to turn brown. The leaves will fall off naturally and new growth should appear when the temperature warms up. If you want to go ahead and remove them by hand. When the freeze has ended with temperatures returning to normal and the sun shines again, remove covers for plants need air and light as soon as possible.

Plants or flowers in containers or pots can be brought inside the house or in the garage. If they must be left outdoors, then push them together to reduce heat loss. Remember when temperatures warm up seperate them as soon as possible because the leaves can be damaged if left crowded together for a long time.

After removing protective covering check plants, and shrubs for their watering needs. The ground or soil in containers may still be frozen, so water the soil to thaw it out. This helps them receive water as quick as possible. Pruning should be delayed until winter is over. When spring arrives new growth should start, and then you will know if the plant or shrub has survived the winter. You can see which woody stems or branches are alive or dead, by scraping off the bark with your fingernail. Look for green tissue and prune back dead stems to the point where the green begins, even if it means cutting them down to the base of the plant or shrub. You will know within 30 days if they will survive.

I know it is hard to keep all plants and shrubs from having some cold damage, but with proper protection one can reduce problems from happening. Proper care can keep them from dying, thus avoiding replacing them in the spring. Saving you from spending too much money in the long run.

Cold Protection Tips For Planting Plants, and Shrubs:

The first step homeowners can take in helping plants from winter weather, starts at the beginning when designing your landscape. When selecting planting sites, remember temperature changes differ from one area to another. Tender plants should be planted in areas where there is good air drainaige , and not in low spots where cold air settles. Protect plants by arranging them with cold hardy shrubs, using them as a barrier. Placing tender plants and shrubs where fences or buildings can protect them from wind, is a great step towards saving them during the winter month’s.

If the soil drains poorly then over a period of time plants or shrubs will develop weak shallow roots, which will make them more susceptible to cold damage. If the soil has not been overwatered, then it is recommended to water before a freeze. The ground will absorb more solar radiation and will radiate heat at night. Applying mulch around the roots will also help protect by reducing heat loss.

Plants and shrubs that are fertilized with the correct balance of nutrients will tolerate the cold  and recover quicker. Late fertilization can cause new growth which is very susceptible to cold injury. Also prunning shrubs too late will result in a flush of new growth, which will hurt them when cold weather arrives.

Kurt Kmetz

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