frost protection

16 years ago

I have a plumaria that is about seven foot tall, many branches, a good bloomer.

It died back within six inches of the ground four years ago, due to freezing. A while later, when I could see that it was limp and shriveled, I began cutting until white sap flowed, basically, a stump.

From that stump, it produced six shoots, that spring. By last year, some were as high as the eaves and I used frost cloth for a couple of weeks, last winter. In spite of this, I had damage to the higher branches, which I pruned back until I got juice flowing.

I kind of like the idea of covering it and using Christmas Tree lights, might try it if there is no other solution but be at the mercy of the weather?

I look around the neighborhood, and some get damage and some are lucky?

I was thinking of pruning the higher branches as a preventive measure before the frost comes? Bad idea?

Any other suggestions?

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (6)

tdogdad
16 years ago
I assume you are in upland calif which has cold air off the San Gabriels and Mt Baldy. I would stop any fertilizing in August and only give your plants potassium during the fall. There are products like ProTekt which are potassium only and will harden up your plants for winter. Frost cloth with a light during frost times will work. Pruning before frost is not recommended as this sets back flowering for a year. Take a trip to Orange and go to Orange County Farm Supply and talk to Chris Roy. He stocks and knows all the best products for plumerias. Bill
lbinupland_zone_9
Original Author
16 years ago
Yes, Upland, CA just down the hill from Mt Baldy, gets cold overnight lows, and rare snow.

So, are you saying it's too late to treat with ProTekt now, since it's past Autumn?

I can do a light, there is a yard outlet less than two feet away.

[IMG]http://i49.tinypic.com/2r7ovgh.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i46.tinypic.com/2mi3jlw.jpg[/IMG]
Related Professionals
Middletown Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Dalton Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Lynchburg Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Fort Dodge Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Newark Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Napa Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Lansing Landscape Contractors · Longview Landscape Contractors · Anchorage Landscape Contractors · Wilmington Architects & Building Designers · Cherry Hill Architects & Building Designers · Lufkin Architects & Building Designers · Fort Dodge Architects & Building Designers · Amarillo Architects & Building Designers · Sterling Architects & Building Designers
tdogdad
16 years ago
It is probably too late now. You can drape frost cloth over the plant and put a light or xmas white lights around the base when cold is expected.. Be careful of dampness when using electricity outside. Also cloth above the plant prevents cold from settling on the plants. When you have very green tips from late growth, they are vety sensitive to cold and usually potassium will help but not this late in the year. I would look to lights or heating cables this year.
karate626
16 years ago
lbinupland, Here are your pics!
lbinupland_zone_9
Original Author
16 years ago
Thanks, k. Should I have omitted the IMG tags?

You can see some cold damage already higher up. Forecast the next week or so claims about 40deg.? I have been fooling around with the frost cloth today, a little bit, figuring out something that will deal with the wind, as well. I really would hate to start over with more stumps. As the other writer said, frost sets back blooms another year. Case in point, the guy next door did nothing. He has a plant much larger than mine, stuck way up past the 2X2 slats in his patio cover. Or, it did! He was forced to cut it way back and as a result, didn't have a single bloom, this past summer. So, what I did last winter was marginally effective. One thig about letting them get taller is that you can't appreciate the blooms, unless you climb a step ladder.

Thanks for the advice, tdogdad.
tdogdad
16 years ago
You can do partial pruning. Prune selectively about half the branches leaving 6-8 inches at least of the branch above a Y split. Leave the others. the pruned ones will grow new branches but not flower next season while those left will flower. At the end of the season, cut the ones you did not cut before. They will grow new branches but not flower the next season but the ones you cut before will. Keep this rotation as needed to manage a plant's size without totally shutting off the flower production. Bill