COLD WEATHER LANDSCAPE PREPARATION

While cold is the one of the most common reason damage is caused to plants in the Central Florida area, nobody will ever insure or guarantee replacements. To be aware of some future impending cold event is solely your responsibility; never rely on your lawn maintenance guy to forewarn you of cold events, yet, you surely can glance at weather predictions on TV, the Web or in modern times, your iphone or other techy gadget. On average, we experience three extreme cold spells a year, but some lucky years no damage occurs at all. To make things easier, the chance for frosts and freezes only occur between the end of November and early March, naturally. You may choose to save your favorite weather site in your internet favorites to quickly access your local weather forecast.

Like hurricanes, every cold event has a different 'personality'. When speaking of cold damage, there are two basic kinds. Frost damage occurs during windless, clear nights when heat escapes and ice forms on exposed plants, usually before or at sunrise, when temperatures approach mid to low thirties. This is known as a Radiation Frost and damage can be avoided by covering sensitive plants. Advection frost refers to very cold air and can cause far more extensive damage, depending on temperature and duration, notoriously named Hard Freezes.

One of the best ways to reduce damage to plantings is to ensure the soil is adequately irrigated. Water generously a few days before a cold event. As cold, dry air envelops your landscape, moisture from the soil evaporates, releasing ambient heat, which is especially important during conditions when frost can form in frigid windless air. Do not water during cold weather, foilage should always remain dry during these conditions. Please know of advancing cold air masses and, by all means, turn off all automatic irrigation during severe cold spells.

Well hydrated plants will also resist wind burn on extremely windy nights. Wind damage is minimized when plants are fully hydrated, this is simular to the condition know as heat exhaustion in humans, which is a direct result of inadequate hydration. Fully hydrated plants will have minimal wind damage due to the availability of water to transpire during wind events. This transpiration also assists in the protection from the cold event which is usually a simultaneous occurance.

Many commercial growers use the method of constant overhead irrigation during extreme cold snaps. Remember that the growers are protecting a single species of crop and continue watering until far after sunrise, when the air begins to warm. These folks have narrowed this technique down to a science, and as the adage goes: NEVER TRY THIS AT HOME!

The landscapes most untouched by cold are ones that are densely planted and/or are protected by a canopy of foliage, whether by trees or large shrubs. This setup provides a blanket affect, moderating heat loss and desiccating air. If you landscape host's trees and dense plantings, your plants will never experience frost damage. Additionally, plantings that are adequately mulched with approximately a 3" layer tend to withstand cold damage better.

You may choose to cover your prized plantings that are not densely planted or do not have natural cover. You may opt to use sheets or blankets that you have on hand or purchase frost cloth from a garden center. Never use plastic as a cover as this will result in severe damage in the morning once the sun comes out; it only takes a few seconds of sunshine to effectively cook plants covered in plastic.

Tropical plants in pots will suffer the most, even when temperature is far above freezing. While plants in the ground are subjected to cold, the soil maintains an even temperate. The root balls of potted plants experience both rapid temperature drops and drying, which spells decline or outright death for tropicals.

Most tropical plants commonly used in Central Florida landscapes are very forgiving. Although they may become damaged during frosts, most are quick to sprout and resume growth in early spring. Since frost affects the topmost area of foliage, refrain from trimming any dead plant material until the middle of March; this damaged layer serves as a protective layer from future frosts.

Alas, some recently available plant selections are far too sensitive to cold. They are slow to re-grow during the warm season, becoming weaker each year. We recommend avoiding these plants or to be planted as annuals, and with luck, perennials. Some of the worst choices include:


Adoninia or Chistmas Palm ( Adoninia merrilii )
Triostar ( Stromanthe x 'Tristar' )
Polly ( Alocasia amazonica 'Polly' )
Black Ebony Vase ( Aechmea chantinii )
Zebra Plant ( Aphelandra squarrosa )

If you are unsure of your cold preparedness, you may choose to schedule a review of your landscape with the professionals from Land Art Landscape Architecture to go over your landscape readiness. We will go over your landscape plantings with you, indicating which specie may need additional cold protection such as quilting, discuss your watering needs, and indicating any replacements or additions to your landscape in areas that you may not find appealing, or that may have suffered previous years damage, all for a modest fee.

Realizing that in Central Florida we are in a sub-tropical climate zone, there is no need for landscapes to be solely in varous states of green in the cooler months. We have many examples of Land Art projects that are full of year round color, and have survided previous years cold events stunningly. Click on the link below to our home page to contact us to discuss or schedule a landscape review or to email us to be removed from receiving future Land Art updates or notices by email.


1. Monitor for cold weather events.
2. Ensure adequate mulch levels.
3. Thouroughly irrigate or water a few days prior to the event.
4. Bypass automatic irrigation system cycles for the duration of the cold event.
4. Quilt any tender plantings just prior to the beginning of the event.
5. Move any potted plants to a protected location such as garage or at least heavily quilt these items
including insulating the pot itself.
6. Turn on any landscape lighting and or Holiday decorative lighting during the coldest hours of the cold event. It has been
demonstrated that the heat produced from such lighting will provide an additional 2 to 4 degrees fahrenheit protection.
7. Remove quilting as soon as the cold event is over.
8. Return potted plantings to their appropriate location as soon as the cold event is over.
9. Leave any damaged plant foliage intact until mid-March for additional protection.
10. Monitor for the next cold event.
11. Monitor interiorscape plants for moisture levels as heaters operating inside your home or building will rapidly
dehydrate your interior plantings.




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