This is the time of year when you plant and then worry about old "Jack Frost". But don't worry there are many ways to beat that cold snap that knocks out your favorite veggie, fruit tree or perennials! You can use commercial row covers, news paper, bed sheets, burlap sacks, Cloches, plastic, anything really to protect your tender plants from Jacks bite! There are many good places to buy Row Covers! But sometimes we don't have things large enough or even enough of to cover everything! So here is a tip that dad taught me that you can do in a pinch.
This seems to go beyond all good reasoning when it comes to freezing but to it is something that even your fruit farmers have done for years. The night before go out and mist everything down with a water hose or sprayer! I have heard people say you can do this really early of the morning, way before the sun comes up, but that's not what I was taught. The reasons plants or fruits are damaged by the cold
temps is because the cold draws moisture from inside the
plants, kinda like freeze-drying them. The colder it gets on the surface of the leaf, the more damage is done
to the plant. A coating of ice keeps the temperature on the surface of
the leaf to the freezing point of water or a little below. So if it goes much below 32 degrees, you would probably have better luck with covering them with something. Like I said it doesn't make logical since but it does help!
Before you try this please read this more in depth article by the West Virginia Agricultural Engineers, "FROST PROTECTION WITH SPRINKLER IRRIGATION"!
Also while ready different articles about this a few weeks back I stumbled across this Video and article you may what to watch. I have never tried or this! This Botanists developed a spray that, when misted over a plant, will help it endure temperatures 2.2 to 9.4 degree. "Anti-Freeze For Your Plants Botanists Develop 'Antifreeze' Spray for Plants".
Proverbs 25:25 "As cold water to a weary soul, So is good news from a far country."
I have always used frost cloth (we don't get frost often around here), but had not heard of watering the plants to protect them. Very interesting!
ReplyDeleteGrapes are the worst to try to save, I think! They're so sprawly!
ReplyDeleteI could have done with reading this the other day before the frost killed all my daffodils that were in flower {SIGH}
ReplyDeleteGill in Canada
So Sorry! I wish I would have posted sooner!
DeleteVery interesting! I've just been bringing mine in at night when it's that cold. Fortunately, I haven't forgotten to yet...but it's always a possibility, lol.
ReplyDeleteYes it is! But its hard to bring in fruit trees and such! LOL
DeleteThis is an interesting technique. My fil always sprayed before sunrise. Sometimes it didnt work though.
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by my site.
I was talking to a fruit farmer yesterday and he told me thats how he has always don it. He said usually around 3am! I bit early for me, I will stick to the night time spray! lol
DeleteThat is really interesting! The anti-freeze thing is a little scary, though. Thank you for sharing!
ReplyDeleteEspecially for all of us that try to be as organic as possible!
DeleteGreat Tips, Clint. Thanks!
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