1. Water.
Make sure all plants are watered thoroughly before a cold front blows in, especially a dry cold front. You will also have to water after the cold front, since plants dry out quickly in a cold dry wind.
2. Cover Your Tropicals.
Plants may need to be covered when the temperatures drop into the mid to low 30’s. Create a teepee over the plants when covering and not the lollipop look. The key is to capture the ground warmth. Using sheets or other light weight material on the plants and then plastic on the outer layer will add the extra protection against the wind and cold. If plastic is placed directly on the leaves of plants it will burn the foliage, so always put a protective layer between if possible.
We carry N-Sulate Frost Blankets. They measure 12’x10′, $16.99 each. You can use anchor pins, bricks, lumber, clay pots etc… to weigh down around the bottom. We also carry Frost Blanket by the foot. It is 12′ wide and costs $1.69 a running foot. Make sure to uncover during the day when the temperatures warm up, so your plants don’t bake from too much heat build-up. Then re-cover before the temperatures drop again.
Daniel says
I covered tomato plants with a heavy cloth sheet. With our current rain fall do we need water our tomato plants? Do we water the leaves also. Thank you
james says
Do not water the leaves. And I would guess your established tomato plants will be able to pull plenty of moisture from our saturated soil for the next week, or more.
mary underbrink says
I live close to the bay and have a lot of tropical plants plumeria bromeliads cardboard palm dessert rose ponytail palm some of my plants are huge I don’t want to loss them. Do you think they will be ok for this short freeze?
James says
Mary, all the plants you listed should be fine at 35°. I would be ready to cover just in case the forecast changes and it is going to get colder, but at 35° I think you’re OK. Never hurts to have some covering material ready just in case though