Orange trees need protection from a freeze.
When cold weather occurs, orchardists or homeowners must protect their fruits and fruit trees from damage caused by the frost that accompanies a freeze. A freeze is more severe than a frost and may last for several days. Certain varieties of oranges, especially the navel and sour varieties, have a better chance of surviving such conditions. Although you can take steps to protect citrus trees from frost, the attempts to protect oranges and their trees from a freeze are generally not as successful. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
1. Cover the tree with a blanket or quilt if the tree is small. The use of quilts, blankets or burlap sacks assists with the conservation of heat that accumulates throughout the day, but this works best on trees that are smaller.
2. Place a shop light that has incandescent light bulbs around the canopy of the tree. If you do not have a shop light, use a string of Christmas lights around the canopy of smaller or medium-sized orange trees. This works as a heat source and is most effective on trees that have been covered. Use caution using either heat source, and do not allow the lights to touch water.
3. Sprinkle the canopy of the orange tree with water by using a hose that provides continuous sprinkling if the first two steps do not work. Make sure to remove the lights before sprinkling the canopy and ensure that the ground around the tree is bare and damp so it radiates less heat at night. When the water freezes around the branches and leaves, it creates enough heat to keep the temperature of the tissue at 32 degrees; this is because the movement, or friction, from the continuous flow of water liberates enough heat to maintain the temperature of the tree's tissue at 32 degrees. The water should flow continuously until the outside temperature reaches 37 degrees. Although the limbs may experience breakage from the weight of the ice, everything that is sprinkled with the water does not experience damage from the freeze.
Tags: from freeze, trees from, around canopy, enough heat, heat source, shop light