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Beating Phoenix Frost

desert frost
by: Blue Marble
February 6, 2015

While most people enjoy the break from the heat when the cooler weather arrives in Phoenix, chances are your plants and trees don’t feel the same way.

Here are some tips for keeping the frost at bay and helping your residential landscape stay healthy during the colder temperatures.

  1. First, learn which plants are most susceptible to frost. If your plants are new, or actively growing, you will want to protect them from frost. Some of the most common frost sensitive plants in our area are:flower-1
    • Pygmy Date Palms
    • Hibiscus (all types)
    • Sissoo Trees
    • Ficus trees (all types)
    • Cacti (some types)
    • Bougainvillea (all types)
    • Natal Plum
    • Cape Honeysuckle
    • Red Bird of Paradise
  2. Like you, your plants need a warm winter coat to protect them from the cold weather and the frost. You can use flowersheets, burlap, or light blankets to cover them. Whatever you use, remember that it must be porous and able to breath (don’t use plastic). Make sure you have these items on hand because, when the cold weather hits, the stores will sell out quickly. Another option would be to buy sheets from a local thrift store. Try not to use heavy cloths or blankets because the frost will saturate them and they will weigh down the plants. Also, make sure that the cloths go all the way to the ground to aid in insulation.
  3. Leave the covers on until late morning because temperatures frequently reach their coldest in early morning.
  4. Remember to be aware of the area that you live in. The local weather is typically reported from central Phoenix. If you live in outlying areas the weather and frost may be more severe.
  5. Keep watering your plants during the winter months. You should water in the morning that way the leaves will be dry by evening.
  6. Do not remove the damaged portions of your plants or trees if they suffer frost damage. These will protect the rest of the plant that is still alive. Prune any frost damage in the spring.

A little TLC will go a long way in keeping your plants protected during the colder winter months in Phoenix. For more information, give us a call at 480-895-2684 or contact us at www.bluemarblelandscape.com.

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