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Feel the chill? So do your plants

Get ready for frost with these handy tips

Lights on citrus tree
The heat from old-fashioned holiday lights can help protect citrus trees during a frost warning. (Photos:
Kathy Morrison)





Are you ready for a big chill?

It may seem extra early, but frost is in the forecast for several nights this week – especially in the foothills.

In recent years, Sacramento’s first frost hasn’t hit until mid- to late December. But historically, frost can bite us any time between early November and the first day of spring.

Clear, dry and cool conditions – like what we’re experiencing right now – are more likely to plunge overnight temperatures into the low 30s or 20s than wet weather (which is coming soon). But for the next few nights, we should be on frost alert.

Like any challenge, it’s best to be prepared. Have your frost cloths handy and be ready to bundle up your garden when the forecast predicts 32 degrees or colder.

Keep these frost tips handy, too:

Citrus tree with frost blanket
Frost blankets, such as Agribon, also can help protect tender plants.
This display by the Sacramento County master gardeners at the
Fair Oaks Horticulture Center in 2018 has the blanket pulled up
so visitors can see the lights on the tree, but in use the covering
would be pulled over the tree to the ground.



* If there is a frost warning, cover your sensitive plants with frost cloth, blankets or cloth sheets (not plastic) before sunset so radiant heat will help keep them cozy. Make sure the cloths go down to the ground to hold in that heat.

* Remember to uncover plants during the day (especially if it’s sunny) or they can be smothered by their frost protection.

* Harvest ripe citrus that may be harmed by frost. Don't let oranges, lemons and other fruit freeze on the tree. (But don't pick them if they're not ripe -- citrus doesn't ripen off the tree.)

* Citrus trees (particularly young trees) tend to be susceptible to frost damage. Limes are the most frost-tender. Make sure they get some protection before frost hits.

* Wrap trunks of young citrus trees to insulate them from frost.

* Holiday lights – the old-fashioned kind that get hot, not LEDs – can help keep plants warm, too. Wrap a string of lights around the trunk and branches. Keep the lights on all night.

* With some exceptions, keep plants watered. Frost injury occurs when ice crystals form on leaf surfaces and draw moisture out of the leaf. The damage from dehydration is what causes frost burn.

* The exemption to this rule are cacti and succulents, where saturation can cause more damage. Also, such tropical plants as bananas and hibiscus may rot if over-saturated before frost, so they prefer to be kept of the dry side.

* Don’t overprotect. Plants are more frost-resistant if they’ve experienced some cold weather and winter hardening.

* If frost damage occurs, wait until March or April to prune off browned branches. That injured area will help protect the rest of the plant from further frost burn.

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Dig In: Garden Checklist

For week of March 24:

In between cloud bursts, try to catch up with early spring chores. 

* Attack weeds now! Get them before they flower and go to seed. Take a hoe and whack them as soon as they sprout. Aim for 1 inch below the soil line.

* Start preparing vegetable beds. Spade in compost and other amendments.

* Prune and fertilize spring-flowering shrubs after bloom.

* Feed camellias at the end of their bloom cycle. Pick up browned and fallen flowers to help corral blossom blight.

* Feed citrus trees, which are now in bloom and setting fruit. To prevent sunburn and borer problems on young trees, paint the exposed portion of the trunk with diluted white latex (water-based) interior paint. Dilute the paint with an equal amount of cold water before application.

* Feed roses with a balanced fertilizer (such as 10-10-10, the ratio of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium available in that product).

* Prune and fertilize spring-flowering shrubs and trees after they bloom. Try using well-composted manure, spread 1-inch thick under the tree. This serves as both fertilizer and mulch, retaining moisture while cutting down on weeds.

* Cut back and fertilize perennial herbs to encourage new growth.

* Seed and renovate the lawn (if you still have one). Feed cool-season grasses such as bent, blue, rye and fescue with a slow-release fertilizer. Check the irrigation system and perform maintenance. Make sure sprinkler heads are turned toward the lawn, not the sidewalk.

* In the vegetable garden, transplant lettuce and cole family plants, such as cabbage, broccoli, collards and kale.

* Seed chard and beets directly into the ground.

* Plant summer bulbs, including gladiolus, tuberous begonias and callas. Also plant dahlia tubers.

* Shop for perennials. Many varieties are available in local nurseries and at plant events. They can be transplanted now while the weather remains relatively cool.

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