FREEZE WARNING!

The National Weather Service has issued a freeze warning for Monday evening and Tuesday. Freezing temperatures can kill plants and other vegetation if not adequately protected.

TIPS TO HELP YOUR PLANTS SURVIVE THROUGH A FREEZE

 1.  Watering your lawn before a frost or freeze will help to insulate and protect the lawn’s root structure.  By watering early enough before a freeze, water has time to seep into the soil and evaporate off of the leaf blades. However, do not water your lawn right before a freeze. Doing so will not give the water on the leaf blades enough time to dry and will cause major, irreversible damage to the turf.

2. Avoid mowing or walking on a frozen lawn!  Doing so can crush the leaf blades causing permanent damage to your lawn.  Keeping the grass tall is also beneficial because maintaining taller turf in the winter promotes a deeper root system and it creates a warmer microenvironment between the grass blades.

3. Protect your plants during a freeze by placing a blanket or burlap cloth over them.  However, do not place plastic over plants. As water turns into condensation, ice crystals will form under the plastic which will cause the plant to die.

A good rule of thumb to remember is that any plant with an abundance of water in their cell structures, such as tropical or succulent plants, are at a higher risk for damage during a freeze.

THESE ARE SOME OF THE PLANTS THAT SHOULD BE COVERED OR BROUGHT INSIDE DURING A FREEZE:

– Crotons	– Any Palm Plant	– Hibiscus
– Succulents (such as Cacti)	– Citrus Trees (with fruit)	– Mexican Petunias
– Lillies (if planted, first cut them and then cover)	– Bougainvilleas	– African Iris
– Ixora	– Eugenias (Topiaries)	– Birds of Paradise
– Schefflera	– Goldmounds	– Plumbagos
– Annuals will normally die during the freeze.

PLEASE FEEL FREE TO CALL US IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS.

Thank you,
The Heron Team