Tips for Protecting Vulnerable Plants During a Frost

The National Weather Service has issued a freeze warning for Friday night through Saturday morning, 2 a.m. to 8 a.m. and Campbell Park Maintenance Bob Siudzinski says gardeners should protect their plants.

"Frost ends in about mid-February," Siudzinski says. "We are definitely in frost weather right now, January for sure. There’s cold and then there’s frost cold and that’s when you get damage."

Here are his tips on how to protect your plants:

• First thing, identify the plants that are frost sensitive. Ones that come to mind are citrus and hibiscus. 
• I’m a big fan of making sure your plant is as healthy as reasonably possible. Fertilize in the fall and keep your soil moist. Luckily we had a lot of rain so that helps plants survive the cold.
• Draping a bed sheet or piece of plastic material over the plant in question. The ideal material is a jute-like material to wrap around the plant. 
• The next morning, after the sun comes up for a little bit, take it off. You don’t want to leave a plastic tarp over it because the sun will bake it.

Smudge pots and large commercial fans have also been used to keep plants wrm, especially in orange groves in Florida, he says. 

"But they just put a bunch of pollution into the air," Siudzinski says. "Giant fans used to be used on a huge commercial basis too."

The point of mentioning these ways of fighting the frost, Siudzinski says, is that there are just as many ideas and theories out there.

"And people that would swear by them," he says.

SummerWinds Nursery in Cupertino also offers these TIPS.

How will you protect your plants from the frost? Share your tips in the comments below!