TIps on Maintaining Your Plants During a Freeze - Kingwood

Published: Dec 16, 2013, 10:00am

Another arctic blast is due to arrive in the Houston area around Christmas. Meteorologists are predicting the high temps in the lower 20s or colder. Since we are in the green industry we tend to think about plants and how to protect them in these situations. There are several items on the market for a situation like this.

Freeze cloth is a permeable sheet that keeps plants about 8 degrees warmer underneath the cover. The freeze cloth comes in different sizes. Some are 12 foot x 10 foot in size. Freeze cloth also comes in bulk sizes with a width of 12 feet by however many feet you need up to 300 feet long. Drape the cloth over the plants and anchor down with pins, rocks, or anything that has some weight to it.

Plankets are also permeable sheets, but have a synch at the bottom to where you will not need pins and anything to anchor. The plankets come in green and possibly white.

Household items can be used such as bed sheets or blankets. You don’t really want to use heavy weight blankets because they might crush the plants.

DO NOT USE PLASTIC TO KEEP THE FROST OR FREEZE OFF OF THE PLANTS!! Any plastic that touches plants will actually burn that part of the plant. Plastic can be used when placing sheets on the plants first and then the plastic so that the sheets won’t absorb the rain or snow.

Using Christmas lights or any lights under the sheets will emit some heat and help the plants stay warm.

Mulching the root zone helps immensely with keeping the roots from damage. Saving the roots is actually better for the plant than just covering the plant with cloth.

When a freeze is expected water the root zone of your plants thoroughly. Doing so will prevent the roots from freezing. (It's actually got a lot more to do with chemistry than physics: it takes energy to break chemical bonds, and energy is released when said bonds are formed. Essentially, the most important factor here is the intermolecular forces at work between water molecules: hydrogen bonding. The hydrogen bonding that causes water to solidify releases energy into its surroundings as they are formed. So, as water begins to freeze, hydrogen bonds are being formed which releases energy to the surrounding area and actually warms the environment).

For more information on caring for your plants, feel free to contact Warren's Southern Gardens at 281-354-6111 or email at warrenssoutherngardens@gmail.com.

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