Prepping gardens for Bay Area hard freeze
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Prepping gardens for Bay Area hard freeze
Updated on: 2010-11-23 21:20:34
The Bay Area is expecting a hard freeze Tuesday night, and the warning has local gardeners prepping their gardens.
Three years ago, Sonoma resident Donna Lewis lost oranges, limes and lemons, all to a hard freeze. Her fountain even froze. So she's not taking any chances this time. She has been spraying her citrus trees with a protective coating, hoping that will help.
"There are some things that are going to go… there's a lot of things that will go, and that's what we're concerned about," says Lewis.
And that's what Art Sinclair of Wedekind's Garden Center has been hearing all day -- gardeners worried about the first hard freeze. Winter slammed the Bay Area last weekend, with five inches of snow falling on Mt. Hamilton.
Plants most vulnerable to the freeze are citrus, orange, lemons and limes. Tropical plants are also at risk. The rain we've had the past several days though, could help.
"Plants are better protected if they're hydrated because they're full of moisture," says Sinclair. "A dry plant goes into frost harder. There's more severe damage if the plant is dry, whether it be in your ground or in a pot."
Covering the plants with an insulating, breathable material adds a blanket of protection from overnight lows expected to Dip into the twenties. Sprays that add a protective coating are also recommended.
"Flower petals here can be damaged with the frost," says Sinclair.
Even our winter varieties can sustain frost damage when temperatures drop below 30 degrees. Covering winter blooming Pansies and Cyclamen will extend their blooming cycle. A hard freeze over an extended period can actually kill hearty shrubs, rosemary, and other evergreens.
Hardware stores were also busy with folks buying up insulated wraps and tape to keep water pipes from freezing.
"More than likely it's the pipes that enter your house from the exterior, copper pipes, galvanized pipes, PVC pipes, pool equipment, all the different types of pipes you have exposed outside," says Pat Carpenter of Friedman's Hardware.
Also, don't forget about your pets and be sure to bring them inside. And here's a useful tip: the holiday lights outside your home actually help to keep plants warmer.
Story posted 2010.11.23 at 06:20 PM PST
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Víctor Lei
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