Our Dallas winters may be mild compared to other parts of the country, but the season plays no less important of a role in your garden's overall beauty and health. During the winter months there are subtle but critical changes taking place. Under the soil, the cold is working its magic on seeds, bulbs and roots. Even our famous winds have a role to play to ensure flowers and fruits appear later in the year. Without the winter cold, gardens would be less beautiful in the summer.
All that being said, the winter cold can also cause great damage if you don't give your garden a little help to fend off the worst of winter's bite. Here are a few tips that we recommend to our clients to help protect their landscape investments, and if you'd like to receive our landscape tips and warnings to your email inbox, join our mailing list here.
WATER
This one may sound counter-intuitive, but it's time-tested and regularly practiced around the world. Every time winter rears it's ugly head in Florida, the orchard growers spray liquid water on their crops before an overnight freeze. They do this to take advantage of the fact that when that liquid water freezes, the process will release energy (in the form of heat) to the fruit, thus preserving it against the ravages of the cold. The same concept can help protect your garden.
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Many plants are cold hardy to 28-30 degrees, some are hardy below that and some only to 32-35.
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The most important thing you can do before a freeze is to water your landscape in thoroughly. This step helps reduce the freeze damage to your landscape.
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For a week-long freeze with no rain, you may need to water during this time - just make sure it's during the day when the temperature rises above 34.
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Turn off your sprinklers after watering and do not rely on freeze sensors or weather stations, you don’t want to ice up the sidewalks and streets!
COVER
If you are only expecting a light freeze, you may be able to protect plants in a freeze simply by covering them with a sheet or a blanket. This acts like insulation, keeping warm air from the ground around the plant. The warmth may be enough to keep a plant from freezing during a short cold snap.
Read more at Gardening Know How: Protect Your Plants In A Freeze – How To Protect Plants From Freezing https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/plant-problems/environmental/protect-plants-in-freeze.htm
Read more at Gardening Know How: Protect Your Plants In A Freeze – How To Protect Plants From Freezing https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/plant-problems/environmental/protect-plants-in-freeze.htm
If you are only expecting a light freeze, you may be able to protect plants in a freeze simply by covering them with a sheet or a blanket. This acts like insulation, keeping warm air from the ground around the plant. The warmth may be enough to keep a plant from freezing during a short cold snap.
Read more at Gardening Know How: Protect Your Plants In A Freeze – How To Protect Plants From Freezing https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/plant-problems/environmental/protect-plants-in-freeze.htm
Read more at Gardening Know How: Protect Your Plants In A Freeze – How To Protect Plants From Freezing https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/plant-problems/environmental/protect-plants-in-freeze.htm
If you are only expecting a light freeze, you may be able to protect plants in a freeze simply by covering them with a sheet or a blanket. This acts like insulation, keeping warm air from the ground around the plant. The warmth may be enough to keep a plant from freezing during a short cold snap.
Read more at Gardening Know How: Protect Your Plants In A Freeze – How To Protect Plants From Freezing https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/plant-problems/environmental/protect-plants-in-freeze.htm
Read more at Gardening Know How: Protect Your Plants In A Freeze – How To Protect Plants From Freezing https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/plant-problems/environmental/protect-plants-in-freeze.htm
Covering your plants will act as a insulation, keeping warm air from the ground around the plant. The warmth may be enough to keep a plant from freezing during a short cold snap. It's particularly important to cover pots because they don't get the same benefit of heat from the soil that "in-ground" plants get (you know how the bridges freeze first? same concept).
Cover all pots and the following "in-ground" plants if temperatures are below 32:
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Gardenia
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Rosemary
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Agave
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Palms
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Oleander (not really worth the effort, contact us to ask why)
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Pittosporum
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Cyclamen
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Kale
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Cabbage
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Winter vegetables
Pansy’s do not need covering if watered in as described above, unless it will be below 27, which luckily for us in north Texas is not often. If the forecast calls for high 20’s for a prolonged period beyond 3 days, covering is a good idea.
Covering material can be special-purpose as pictured above, inexpensive burlap found at your local fabric & craft store, or household sheets and blankets you have on hand. A word of caution; fabric covers can be heavy if they get wet from rain and that can cause breakage to the plant and wet fabric does not provide as much insulation as dry fabric. That being said, the weight can be dealt with by placing stakes under the cover to support the wet fabric off of the plants. Since fabric covers limit the amount of light that the plant receives, they cannot be left in place for extended periods and should be removed after the freezing episode is over.
We don't recommend plastic for covering plants. While plastic traps warmth well, is lightweight and won't hold moisture if it rains - if any part of the plant is in contact with it, it will not have any insulation against the cold. In addition, heat can build up under clear plastic on a sunny day, so when clear plastic is used, you must immediately remove or vent it if it is sunny and mild. Given the roller coaster weather we often experience in the north Texas area, even just a few hours under plastic on a mild day with a bit of sun can quickly kill a plant; it's just not worth it when there are safe options available.
DRAIN FOUNTAINS AND COVER OUTDOOR FAUCETS
Remember to drain and cover those fountains before a freeze and it's still a good idea to cover outdoor faucets even with new construction. Faucet covers are an inexpensive insurance policy against a very costly burst pipe and can readily be found at any hardware store (we've supplied a few links below) - unless of course there's a freeze predicted, then they can be like hen's teeth, so best to pick up a few in advance and just keep them on hand in your garage for when you need them.
If you do suffer some winter or frost damage, contact us and we can assess whether or not your investment can be saved. There are steps that can be taken to help a plant get back on it's feet, and if it's lost, we can replace it for you in the spring.
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