Protect your plants from frost

It is that time of the year, when the cold temperatures roll in and bring chances of frost damage to plants. In fact, freezing temperatures are predicted for tonight.

Here are a few simple tips from Dan Dawn, owner of Arroyo Vista Landscaping and Design to protect your yard from frost damage this winter.

Watering
In terms of watering, Dawn said he recommends watering in the middle of the day.  “By watering in the middle of the day, it will cause water to seep into the trunk and help prevent frost damage.

Landscape plants
Use bed sheets or frost cloth to cover frost-tender plants such as bougainvillea, celosia, ficus, hibiscus, Mexican fan palm, red bird of paradise and sweet acacia. “Frost cloth provides superior protection, but bed sheets can be used in a pinch,” Dawn said. If it is windy the coverings can be secured with rocks of string.

Fruits and vegetables
Cover with a bed sheet or frost cloth.

Herbs
Bring container plants closer to the house or cover plants with a cloth. Herbs to cover when frost is in the forecast include: anise, basil, bay trees, scented geraniums, lavender, lemon balm, lemon grass, lemon verbena, marjoram, nasturtiums, Cuban oregano, oregano, rosemary, thyme, peppers and chiles.

Fruit and nut trees
Cover the tree overnight with a sheet or blanket that reaches to the ground. Uncover after sunrise.

Loosely wrap the trunks of young citrus and other cold-tender trees. These wrappings – towel, blanket, cardboard or frost cloth – may be left on during the frost season.

Cactus
Use foam or plastic cups or cardboard boxes to protect the tips of columnar cactus or bloom stalks on agaves and aloes.

Plants damaged from frost? Do not prune damaged areas until the plants begin growing in the spring.

File photo