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Temperatures to dip below freezing...
Freezing temperatures? It's not unusual to see temperatures dip below freezing -right
at the time when we're seeing a lot of blooms from trees, shrubs and
ground plants. While the idea of reverting back to winter chill is not a pleasant thought, there's new-growth plants that you need to turn your attention to.
A real frost danger exists to new growth and tender starts but
can be eliminated with a bit of planning.
Guy Mussey at the Virginia Cooperative Extension gave some advice: Most temperate plants handle short freezes well. Trees
and established plants should also weather through this just fine. On the other
hand, those plants that are considered tropical, tender, and are just beginning
to show, need protection. In fact, when temperatures drop and the weatherman calls for frost
and freeze, there are certain plants that without protection,
could find their demise at your inability to plan ahead.
"
This is where pots are great." Mussey said. "I have a number of
plants that I've moved outside, but I'm needing to pull them back in
before tonight."
If you're concerned about those plants in your garden that are just beginning
to show, it wouldn't hurt to give them a little TLC at this time. The techniques
are fairly low-tech, and there's many different materials that can be used.
"
If you happen to have a couple of those planting pots, turning them upside
down over the plant would do the trick." What you're trying to do
is keep the cold air and wind from forming crystals on the plants -particularly
the stalk. Another concern is heaving. Frost heave occurs after soil
has been exposed to freezing temperatures and lots of moisture. The pressure
that is created from alternating freezing
and thawing conditions lifts the soil and any plants up and out of
the
ground. Frost heave often occurs in early spring or late fall, when
cooler temperatures and soil moisture are common. If the ground freezes
and
heaves, the cold air could rush in and damage the roots of the plant.
Here's where the cost of mulch is money well spent. A well insulated ground
that has a couple inches of mulch is your best deterrent to ground heaving.
Plus, if you mound up the mulch around the plant, that should help as well.
" You can also rake up leaves and pine needles and mound them up around
the plant base. Covering the plant completely would give good protection."
So while some nurseries might offer "plant blankets" for cold-weather
insulation, gathering fallen leaves, needles or even wrapping the plant
in a blanket or newspaper could work well.
"One of our Technicians here at the Cooperative Extension office had
just put in a Japanese Maple. It's an investment; and in this case, it
would
be wise to protect that investment with something like a blanket." Other
prized plants that are not hardy or temperate should definitely be protected.
On the upside, nothing to do with weather is for sure. The day temps will
warm the ground, and as Mussey points out, hardy plants like tulips and hostas
will have their tips nipped, but they won't be killed.
Once your baby starts
are covered with a layer of protection, you can sit back and know that your planning will make things bloom -right as rain.
--Grant Maxwell
The Virginia Cooperative Extension website
Guy Mussey contributed to this article.
Guy can be reached at: (540)
658-8000 ext.26
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