By Jeanette Castanon
November is here and it is time to start preparing for colder temperatures. There are a few precautions you can take to help prepare your garden for the first frost of the season which is typically about Nov. 6 in our area.
Make sure all your plants are watered well. Drought-stressed plants are more susceptible to cold damage, so watering plants a few days in advance of a cold snap is beneficial. Watering just before the freeze can help too by creating warmth, and the water loses its heat slowly over the hours into the colder temperatures. Used with covers, this watering technique can help make a difference.
For light frost that doesn’t last for too long, if possible, move potted plants close to the house and preferably on a southern exposure. Placing strands of holiday lights around the plants and covering with a tarp can also help to raise the temperature for protection, particularly if only a light freeze is expected.
You can also cover many of your plants to keep them protected during cold spells.
Placing cardboard boxes, large trash cans, or even plastic tubs over outdoor plants will provide some protection for sensitive plants. When covering plants, it’s key to cover them from the ground up. The warmth of the soil is what helps keep the plant warm. Since the soil takes much longer to freeze, it offers warmer air than the freezing temperatures surrounding the plant. To cover plants effectively, drape things over the top of the plant all the way to the soil, then secure the drape with boards or rocks. This will essentially trap warmer air in with the plant.
For more information, call the AgriLife office at 498-4071 in Odessa or at 686-4700 in Midland, email [email protected] or visit aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu or westtexasgardening.org.
