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Frost Alert!
by Randy Newhard
The cold and rainy season is soon approaching, and now’s the time to prepare
your plants and protect them from inevitable frost damage. If you notice your
plant material has been hit already or was hit in previous years, it’s
important to know you should not prune off the damage. It is best to leave
the damage on the plants if you’ve not protected them in time. Why? There are a few reasons…
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Typical frost damage
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1. The frost damaged portion of your plants will protect the leaves and other
plant parts beneath the damaged area from further frosts.
2. If you prune off the brown, melted, damaged parts – the plant will try and
respond with new growth. This new growth is young and tender and very
susceptible to further frost damage that may kill your plants. It is very
hard to leave your plants looking unsightly, as they will tend to look mushy
and ugly. It is necessary and mandatory you leave the damaged parts alone
which can be for as long as several months.
What can you do to protect your plants from being frost bitten?
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Succulents & Tropicals are targets for frostbite
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1. The best time to spray a frost-protectant on sensitive plant material is
in October or November of every year. One application can last the entire
season. We use a product that it is very thick-like honey, which will coat
your plants for further protection. You slur it up in a bucket and pour it
into a sprayer. This product is actually a chemical that aids plants in
transplant shock. It will seal the pores of the plants so they do not lose
their moisture. It is the sealant that will protect them from the frost.
2. Practice frequent irrigation run cycles as they can help with frost damage. Plant damage caused by frosts results in ice crystals forming within plant
cells and the spaces between the cells. Crystals will grow and shatter cell
walls which interrupts the special glue that holds the cells together.
Furthermore, the cells are ruined and plants cannot maintain their usual
shape. Many plants can withstand temperatures of 27 degrees Fahrenheit
before considerable damage takes place.
Cold tolerance is a matter of each plant’s genetics, growing conditions, and
how fast or slow the temperature decreases. Your plant material will allow a
progressive decline in temperature with less harm than a quick change, so do
your plants a favor in preventing frost damage before it occurs at all.
Please call Gary McCunn at (858) 505-8300, ext. 317 for a quote to protect
your tropicals and your sensitive plants.
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Randy Newhard is President and Founder of New Way Landscape & Tree Services,
a full-service landscape maintenance and tree care contractor serving
commercial, industrial and multifamily housing in San Diego County for 22
years.
(858) 505-8300 • www.newwaypro.com |
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