Freeze: Storm Warnings and Strategies

My morning and evening routines now include reviewing these colorful maps (above), provided by NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration). I go to the closest NOAA weather station in Melbourne, Florida (http://www.srh.noaa.gov/mlb/) and see what the latest shot of cold air is going to bring us.

Above the purple is a gale warning. Light peach indicates a special weather statement (hard freeze warning as far south as Palm Beach County), Green: Heavy rain and slick road conditions, Beige: Hazardous weather . . . waterspouts, fire weather, storms, and hard freeze.

FROST AND FROST PROTECTION STRATEGIES:

We endured another night of heavy frost on Friday. I tried a variety of strategies to protect the plants that have not yet frozen or been damaged by 30 nights of frost since Halloween.

Covering the ground = pointless. . . covering only the crowns of plants = pointless unless using a heavy quilt which does damage of its own due to weight.

The only strategies that work consistently and well are (1) to suspend blankets above the crown of plants so that the frost forms atop the blankets but the blanket does not contact the plant, anywhere. (2) wrap tall plants into a cone of thick blankets. . .allowing very little surface area at the top on which frost can form.

Below: A row of tall, 4-year-old queen palms (Syagrus romanzoffiana), wrapped tightly in 20' tall conical, cigar shaped bundles. This strategy works well to protect the palms from frost damage. Queen palms have proven to be hearty to 20-F., but. . .who wants to look at the brown foilage for months? At this point in our winter my plan is all about preserving what is green and planning for the end to this very cold winter.

Climatologically speaking, we should be experiencing a burst of plant growth with the arrival of Florida's Spring in about 2 weeks. Despite what the past can teach us about the climate of Florida, we expect 3 successive, very cold nights this week, with temps in the 20s and heavy frost. When one sees a freeze warning issued for Palm Beach -- 200 miles to our south -- one can assume it will be much, much colder here in Central Florida.

ABOVE: Sunset, Friday, Jan. 31, 2009. 4-year-old queen palms wrapped in tight, cigar-shaped bundles, 20' tall. . . prepared for another frosty night.