Tropical and subtropical plants need winter protection in Florida.
In December 2010, when freezing weather was expected to descend on Lake Alfred, a town of citrus groves and sweet cornfields in central Florida, farmers hired helicopter pilots to fly back and forth over their crops to move warm air close to them. No doubt it would be an extreme measure for you to call a chopper to fan your ornamentals next time a meteorologist predicts a freeze for your part of Florida. But it isn't a bad idea to take simpler steps on the ground to protect your garden from frigid weather. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
1. Plan for freezing weather as you plant your garden. Place tender tropical and subtropical edible and ornamental crops out of the wind's path and in the highest spot in your garden. Cold air sinks into low areas, causing injury to plants.
2. Plant shade-tolerant ornamentals under evergreen trees, as the foliage prevents heat from escaping from below the canopy. It also insulates the plants from incoming cold air.
3. Care for each plant according to its specific requirements. Feed and water them on the recommended schedule; prune if necessary and treat disease and insect infestations as the problem appears. Vigorous, healthy plants fare better than neglected ones in adverse weather. Contact your cooperative extension office or local nursery if you need information on care for the plants in your garden. Feed plants in north and north central Florida in March, June, September and December, for example. In south and south central Florida, fertilize your garden in February, May, August and November, recommends the University of Florida. Apply 1 pound of a 6-6-6 formula per 100 square feet at each feeding through August. In the fall months, decrease the amount by half in the northern part of the state and by one-third in the south.
4. Water plants to the root zone the morning before you expect a freeze, as the moisture holds heat.
5. Throw blankets or burlap over short shrubs, using material long enough to reach the ground. Anchor it by tying the cover to stakes or weighing its edges down with rocks and bricks. Remove this protection when the temperature rises above freezing again.
6. Take potted plants, such as pothos, aglaonemas, diffenbachia and ficus, indoors when the weather report predicts freezing conditions.
7. Paint plastic jugs black and fill them with water. Place them around your smaller plants in the day to collect heat from the sun. At night, the warmth trapped in the water will protect the vegetation.
Tags: your garden, central Florida, freezing weather, heat from