Nancy - I look at this question and I have to ask you one in return. If you have to go through that much trouble to save a plant, every time it gets cold, when do you finally say adios and replace it with something more cold tolerant?

Now I know there are hundreds of orchid collectors here in Florida, who have to protect an investment in time and money I couldn't even begin to fathom. But they have glasshouses or shade houses with vinyl rolldowns. Or they have a plan for heating the area where their collection grows.

Mine are stuffed into trees and tied to the gnarly trunks of whatever works. If they get beat up by the cold they get replaced.

Same goes for anything in my garden. I've lost plants over the years and found something perfect for the empty spot that could deal with the Florida "winters" without turning to mush. We're all so conscious of conserving water and planting stuff that won't be a water hog. Why not use the same logic when it comes to temperature?

My point is to reduce the amount of stress in your life, a little bit at a time. If you need to panic everytime a cold blast of air comes down from the north because of some treasured shrub, you need to weigh the loss of stress in your life and easier gardening against the beauty of the plant.

Ricky,very well put. Total logic Rules!
Nancy, may I suggest you look up in the archives on the subject.I know that in the past we all contributed all kinds of ideas.
With some plants and trees,I will still cover them and hang lights etc. until they get establish. As in citrus trees. I did all that when my citrus where younger. Now,
they are establish to where they get damage if the temp.
gets in the teens and heavy frost. But they are on their own. The only plants I bring in are the tenders in pots that are in the porch. I bring those in or I loose them completely.
Felix

All good thoughts.
In my yard all the "fluff" (non edibles) have to be drought tolerant, cold tolerant and storm/flood tolerant. Lots of natives, bromeliads and crinums occupy the areas in beds between the 40+ tropical fruit trees and edibles.
As far as cold protection, I will obsessively (and compulsively) cover (frostcloth, burlap or sheets) and even put C-9 Christmas lights on to protect the younger trees...it's usually no more than 3-4 nights per year.
I can do that.

Nancy, do not use plastic. Everything it touches will be frozen. I use old sheets. Used to cover my mango trees for a number of years, but they are way too big to do it now. Will cover my veggies , anything else will have to defend for itself.

Bernie, NW of stuart.

Think of what it would take to keep you warm on a cold winter's night .
Then remember that most plants only need to be kept above freezing .

So - do not bring them in the house .
A cold garage , shed , pump house , lean-to - what ever you have that provides cover - will do .
Try placing cardboard boxes over plants and then draping with blankets .
Works quite well .
It is best to stay away from plastic if you can .
Even old feed sacks or big dog food bags placed over plants can help .
Try putting buckets or even waste baskets over them .
Almost anything will do .
I am looking at a low of 23 degrees so not too sure if any of this will help .
When in doubt - cover it - if you are in the mood .
I do have to agree with survival of the fittest . I also believe in protecting the young until they can stand on their own roots .

The orchids are in the patio and I think the pool generates just enough warmth to keep them from freezing; but since it's likely to get down to 30 degrees in Orlando tomorrow night I might throw a sheet over the orchid trellis just for a bit of extra protection. The citrus trees are established and will be OK. The bananas will look like hell but it's time to cut them way back anyway.

In my yard there's only one thing I'll consider covering and that's the mussaenda I planted last year. I just love this little shrub and knew when I planted it that it might take a bit of extra care. Once or two special plants I can deal with, but everything else in the yard survives or doesn't on it's own. It's a 'tough love' thing.

Kate

If you have plants in containers that you can't bring inside, at least lay them on the ground because the air temp at ground level will be warmer. Then cover with sheets, blankets, whatever you have. The other thing that will help a lot is to nestle the plants up against the SE SIDE of your house. That will be your warmest microclimate.

Let's hope that the freeze isn't as bad as predicted.

Christine

Anyhow, Nancy, to yield an answer to your question, we take several steps to protect against cold.
1. Close the windows.
2. Bring the spa up to 95 degrees.
3. Select and open a fresh bottle of single malt Scotch whisky.
4. Think about moving to Jamaica.

Hi
I guess it's always a personal choice on how far to go.
Interesting question because if you lived anywhere else ma nature would make the decision for you EVERY year lol
To me one of the most interesting aspects of gardening in 10 is the "possibilities" There is a whole bunch of stuff that you wouldn't have a prayer with in any other location as well as types of gardens.
What about the other extreme of heat?? There is a whole bunch of stuff that won't do well because of the lack of cold. Sure a lot easier to heat than chill for sure. lol
I have some Venus fly traps slumbering away in the fridge as well as some bearded Iris lol. Now that's really crazy ??
To me providing a bit of heat for a short time seems like a small price to pay. I also keep birds and fish which can't handle the cold either so you end up with some type of GH. The great part about that is it protects from the cold but then overheats often on the same day.
I've often said that if I had to keep a water garden ,orchids,palms, birds, fish where I had to deal with snow and ice I probably wouldn't do it ??
Just read some of the extremes that people are going to on some of the other forums lol Makes me feel downright lazy lol.

Oh well to each his own gary

I hear you Gary. I don't mind going the extra mile. I grow modern roses which are very work intensive. It's the work that I love. I rarely just linger in the garden and look at it. So to take the effort to cover things doesn't seem like a big deal to me. I've only had to do it three times in the 12 years that I've lived here. There are gardeners in the north that do it every year to try to extend their season, hoping that the veggies ripen or the flowers open or whatever when they start seeing these temps in Sept. Thanks for everyone's input.
Nancy

I just posted a message to cover plants on the ground "with sheets, blankets, what ever you have". Just for clarification I meant breathable materials. I only use plastic when I am providing heat to make a mini-greenhouse.

One thing about this freeze, I am just thankful that it didn't come earlier in the season so I could get many more of my papayas and tomatoes to ripen.

Christine

I use frost cloth. Purchased a large roll online and it has worked well for years. Also an anti-transparent (Anti Stress 2000, moisturin) works well, not only for the cold but also prevents the desiccation that many plants get with the low winter humidity.

The frost cloth is nice-you can put it over the plants a day or so ahead of time and leave it on until the cold is gone. It helps traps the daytime heat and will not overheat if you leave it on for a couple days.

David

Ricky, I'm of the same line of thinking. If it dies, it will be replaced by something new. This drives my DH crazy, because he knows I do it so that I can buy new plants in the spring! I have 3 small plants that are new, so I throw a towel over them. I used to cover everything! What a chore! Most of my plants are well established, even the tropicals. I never covered the white BoP and it does well every year. The crotons get a little frosted but bounce back.

I started a rose garden a couple of years ago, which is way more work than I thought it would be, so I don't cover them and I know they'll be ok, just to spite me!lol

New plants need cover, established ones will usually make it. Old sheets, blankets and towels work for me.

Julie

Julie the roses are going to win that contest. Even the most tender roses can handle some freezing temps. That is why it's never really been a concern for me. I mainly focus on roses. But this year I've added some tender things.
Nancy

well to each his own is right!

I enjoy growing and take great pride in my orchids - so a bit extra effort during the colder nights like is well worth it. I have the shadehouse covered with plastic, and a heater on all night whenever it is close to 32F. Orchids grow wonderfully here in Florida, so a few cold nights wont stop me :)

Most roses truly enjoy the cooler weather, so I am not worried about mine.

I will cover tibouchinas (2 species) with sheets. I will also cover plumerias that are in the ground - also with sheets. Small bananas get covered, but the big ones are left on their own
A few tomatoes in the pots will go in the garage...

So, a few things get covered with sheets and blankets; orchids with plastic and a heater. The rest will brave the weather
Olya

Following some people's logic, we shouldn't grow coconut palms in south Miami..

....because it snowed a few times.

Or mangos, or anything else tropical that can't take freezing temps and snow. LOL

BTW the record low for the middle Keys in Jan, was....

26 degrees F.

friggin tourists ;-)

kidding!
Corrie

I love my plants and don't want to lose a single one, lol. That said I have put most in the ground and as long as they are fully established I don't worry about them or cover them...unless it's a very special one ;) Like my new Aglaia Odorata that in my quest for...I got stuck in the mud in a field in western Delray (don't ask, lol). You can be sure that it's nicely tucked in with two beach towels and a couple of clay pots to keep 'em in place.

In the pool cage, I have a number of hanging plants and potted plants which I bunch together close to the walls and then cover them with some great blue "moving blankets" I got for $5 a piece. The blankets are pretty big so usually it only takes 5 of them to protect all my hoyas and the other babies.

Corrie - The reason not to grow Coconut Palms in Miami is not the cold, it's Lethal Yellows. In 1987 the city of Miami lost over 75% of their coconut palms to the disease. Miami International Airport lost 100% of theirs. Every coconut in the parking lots was lost to Lethal Yellows. They've since been replanted but the disease is still with us. So don't sweat the frost, LY will be the culprit if it ever happens again.

Ricky, you're so upbeat and positive...

How about nut grass?

What about nut grass? RoundUp, yanking, flame thrower, what's your passion?

After reading all this I must revise:

" to protect against cold.
1. Close Ricky's windows.
2. Bring the spa at Ricky's up to 95 degrees.
3. Select and open a fresh bottle of single malt Scotch whisky that is in Ricky's stash.
4. Think about moving to RICKY'S for the duration!!
LOL
Anyway, this is my cure mostly for my Vanilla Orchid. I don't get too crazy about anything else, but last January my Van Orchid set it's first flower buds just before we got a chill like is coming down now. I lost 1/2 my buds to the cold so Dennis brought back Christmas to keep it warmer under the Pergola and I wrapped it up in plant cover cloth.
{{gwi:782393}}From Garden Jan-Dec 09

Olya
Curious as to what type of plastic you use on your shadehouse and how you manage it during the following day after the front passes??
I remem ber when I first built my SH I covered it with plastic. I was feeling smug when the temps bottomed at 60 while air was in the low 30's. Went to work before dawn ,came home at 5 . Air 65 while it was 154 degrees in the sh lol I lost everything.
Since then have tried all kinds of materials none of which worked very well. When I did repairs on some hurricane damage I went back to vinyl lattice with vines to provide shade . I'd much rather freeze them than cook them.lol. The heated aquarium system worked well last year
but the low was only 38. Unfortuneately it developed a leak
so is not working this year. I had really great hopes for it but did note that it could not keep up to ideal temps below 40. I heat one pool as I keep tropical fish but add bubble wrap to the top. I can keep all 1000 gallons warm but it will not keep the air warm.
Anyway since retiring I'm around to take covers off after a cold front so it's much easier to manage I partally covered with frost cloth this time as an experiment ,all my dainties are in the house lol. I'm awaiting that brilliant sunshine to start warming to see how effective it is at preventing overheating .
The ideal temps have been dropped to 45 and I'm using a
space heater only. Right now it's 45 in the core area while outside it's 35.
Anyway curios as to how you handle the overheating problem during the day?? thanks gary

Up here in eastern Duval county, I've learned most of the lessons posted above. Ergo; if it's established and not rare, it's on it's own. I have a little fenced in (24" high rabbit wire) area at a south facing wall that I set the most tender potted plants in. Weed block wrapped around keeps the wind from drying them out so bad and a length of pvc pipe holds fabric over the top. Clothes pins keep the fabric in place. In the mornings, once the sun's up, I peel back the top cover. I leave the fence wrapped if like tonight, we're in for more freezing temps. I do have a young avocado tree, about 8.5 feet tall that I wrap, again with weed block, as high as I can reach with the clothes pins. I grew that tree from a seed (good guacamole!) 2+ years ago, and though I may never get fruit from it, am thrilled that its made it this far in this climate.
As for frost cloth - I've not seen it at Lowes or HD. Perhaps I just wasn't looking hard enough? I've been using the weed block (plastic) cloth simply because I had it and will never again use it for its original purpose. From what I've read in your posts, I'm guessing the frost cloth is much sturdier than the black wb and much safer for the plants. Comments and suggestions please. cora

Gary
I bought 4 Year Greenhouse Film from International Greenhouse Company a year ago. I have sewn it in to the shape of the shadehouse - but had to use lots of tape to actually hold it together
The frame of the shadehouse is 10 x 20. My husband helps me put the plastic on at the end of November, and the plastic cover stays on till approx end of Feb.
The frame looks like this:
http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=4642460

I have made a cover on top of it from a 50% White Knitted Shade Cloth , also from the same company

During the warm days, I open both sides (the front and end) and let it vent. Temps are usually about 10 degrees higher at most than the outside with sides opened

During the cold nights, I seal it all up, and sometimes add blankets here and there during extremely cold nights. I have a remote temperature sensor - I can read the temps in the shadehouse when it is sealed up.

I think because the shadehouse is so big and because I open the sides up, I never have extreme temps in there between the end of Nov and the end of Feb

USF botanical gardens orchid greenhouse has plastic over it as well during the cooler months. I think they staple theirs in, and use new one every year.

Olya
Thanks for the reply Was hoping you had some method that requires no effort on my part beyond flipping a switch lol. Noted next weeks temps are back into the 70's So the plastic would create a solar powered vegetable steamer in this location .
Cora IMHO Frost cloth is the best all around temporary protection .One great advantage is that it can be left in place since cold fronts usually folllow 3 day patterns Saves some work . Allows transmission of light without UV so no overheating. Can't be permanently installed as it degrades in sunlight. There are even kinds that generate heat through chemical reaction but I have not tried these.
It is rather expensive and hard to store in large sheets . Tends to degrade in the folds so better to roll it up. I got mine from a GH supply co. Shop around great variation in price. gary

Gary, I leave plastic on for THREE months. Temps often go to 75-85 outside during the day, no problems. Because the shade house is large and has openings for air to vent, it has never overheated. This is my second year using it...
Olya

Olya
The frustrating part in my location is that I really only
need protection for 3 weeks tops. And even that breaks down into hours even on the coldest days. The Sh is located attached to the house on the SE corner. During winter the sun shines full blast from dawn to around 1 .lol The heat gain is incredible if it's a "normal" cold front. Dead calm ,clear skies 3 days long . So my best option has been to leave it open ,heat only during the coldest hours.
If I try to block the heat I have a worse problem the next day usually.
One of the best all around coverings I've tried is diffusing lexan. Provides the shade, wind and rain protection,can be left in place permanently
Now for the long term bad parts lol. Grew mold and mildew when wet, algae, which over time blocked light Required almost yearly cleaning. Required fans on year around basis. Cheap stuff crazed quickly ,expensive stuff took longer.lol Generally my conclusion was that it was more harmful than helpful on a year around basis.
So when I repaired hurricane damage I replaced with vinyl lattice, 1/4 inch hardware cloth(I keep birds free )
I grow vines and various air plants on the roof and two trees are allowed to grow through for shade. pruned back during winter. Generally this has been the cheapest most effective method for me but has problems lol.
If you can cover without overheating in your area that would be fantastic!!.
I often wished I lived in either a really tropical location or cooler one so that I could use regular coverings lol. A real year around GH would be great!!
gary

We use 4 ml thick plastic on our shade house in winter.
The entire outside structure is that plastic lattice and we have a roof of clear plastic panels. It is just fine for most of the year as is but when it gets cold is when we use the 4 mil plastic on the inside. On those cold nights when it goes down to 26 my husband also uses a small heater. It works great and haven't lost the first tomato plant. It does heat up during the day but we have a door at each end of the sh which we simply open up for air flow.
{{gwi:782395}}

Mine is a similar set up to claferg...Gary, believe me, it gets hot here in Tampa during winter as well, not cold every day! And yes, just like you are saying, it is only needed every once in a while for cold fronts, but easier to have it on for the winter.
If the structure is large and you have ways to let air in and out - you should not have overheating problems with this set up
Our temperatures are not that different. Plus, since I grow mostly catts and lots of vandas, the shadehouse is receiving a LOT of light

Olya

Olya
Thanks for the info. My last attempt at weatherizing was Polycarb. Worked the best with the least drawbacks . The cheap stuff crazed the expensive stuff grew mold and mildew .lol required cleaning about every 6 months. I even resorted to a swamp cooler which worked during winter but
is a joke during summer.
When I think of all the time effort and money I spent I think the best tradeoff is wide open. Already happy I don't have a covering lol.
The low here was 35 ,lowest in 7 years so I actually get to see what happens.. I moved some warm demanding plants used the heated waterfall for the fixed wall,covered the ones growing on trees in the yard no extra heat.
I grow Catts, cane dends,phals terete and strap vandas, outdoors .fixed to the trees So I'll get to compare results from the various methods. So far see no immediate damage to any of them though as usual I broke a few PB when moving lol.
I grow a lot of dry cool down dends to take advantage of winter .Nature is cooperating again this year by continuing the drought lol.35 may be a bit too much "cool down lol
For the SH I always wanted to turn it into a year around temp controled GH but that has proven to be a lot tougher than I ever imagined. I remember thinking how easy it would be since it's almost never too hot or cold WROG!!! lol
Good luck with your methods if they work what more could you ask?? gary

I am on the border of zones 9 and 10. I have never done any thing more than build a tent over the plants with sheets and if it is really going to be below 32 for more than 1 hour, I add a halogen shop light which has a wire cover to help prevent the fire hazard should the tent come down in a wind.
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{{gwi:782404}}
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this tent type protector was a question this time since I had never protected plants up in a box like these tomatoes.

The only apparent early damage was where the sheets touched the leaves, but am not at home to check on the plants.

bernie

My starfruit tree is 8 years old. I protected it when it was very young. Then I stopped because I planted it close to my house (on the SE side) which has been, until now, a great way to protect sensitive plants because the house gives off heat. I had so much to protect that I took my chances with the tree. I hope it recovers well.

Christine

I use microjet irrigation (misters) inside of a plastic tent that I put over each tree that I really want to protect. Done properly, it should work during even the worst freeze imaginable. You just have to make sure to get the water running before it freezes!

Ollie