Panhandle Plantings-A new column by Master Gardener Val Ford
Rag Gardening and Beyond
Bittersweet October. The mellow, messy, leaf-kicking perfect pause between the opposing miseries of summer and winter ~ Carol Bishop Hipps
As the weather cools down, the Rag Gardens begin to "bloom." We all know a Rag Gardener – the front of the house looks like a linen truck has exploded all over it. Somewhere on the property there’s at least one visqueen A-frame complete with light bulb. Then there’s the "blue version" – those bright blue tarps stretched hither and yon – definitely a bit of "annual" winter color.
Let’s not lose sight of the fact that winter is an important part of the gardening cycle. A "normal" Northwest Florida winter provides us with some minimum temperatures as low as 10° to 20°F – and an average of 16 days at 32°F or colder. A good cold winter not only offers a period of rest for the gardener, but for the garden, as well. And lest we forget, cold is necessary to achieve our average 500 to 650 chill hours required for fruit trees and flower bulbs to blossom and fruit.
For those of you still not convinced that cold, frost and freeze are good things, there are three basic methods of preventing plant damage: (1) plant selection, (2) plant placement, and (3) plant care.
Plant selection simply means to utilize plants that are cold/frost/freeze tolerant. This is sometimes easier said than done in this area where we use a lot of sub-tropical and tropical plantings to survive our summer heat and humidity. A good indication of cold/frost/freeze tolerance is winter dormancy. Some of the first things that come to mind are deciduous trees and shrubs. In many cases a winter garden of this type is more about interesting structure and form than color, especially when you’ve used varieties with exfoliating barks or contorted limbs.
Plant placement against walls or beside concrete driveways/walkways or bodies of water provides radiant heat at night that offers some degree of cold or frost protection. Southern exposures are warmer than northern or eastern exposures. Because cold air drops into lower areas, creating "frost pockets," higher elevations in the landscape are warmer than low spots. Moving potted plants underneath the canopy of evergreen trees, porches or eaves will offer frost protection – but not cold or freeze protection.
Plant care includes hardening off new acquisitions before setting out and avoiding fertilization and/or pruning in the fall (both encourage new growth which is most susceptible to frost/freeze damage). Should damage occur, DON'T prune it off until new growth begins in the spring. The dead plant material will act as a "mulch," protecting lower plant parts from additional frost/freeze occurrences.
Keeping evergreen outdoor plants watered well is probably the most important thing you can do to protect them against cold damage. This is especially true in an environment of low temperatures and high winds, a combination that accelerates plant dehydration. Most injury occurs when ice crystals form on leaf surfaces, draining moisture from the leaf tissue and dehydrating the plant. Also, moist soil absorbs solar heat better than dry soil, providing a source of radiant nighttime heat -- especially useful when protective covers come into play.
Sandy soils may warm faster than loamy soils, but they also retain less moisture, absorb less heat and lose that heat faster. Organic soil amendments can be used to improve this situation. Mulches are great for trapping warm air at ground level around plant crowns and bulbs.
When all else fails, Rag Gardening (i.e. protection) is the only remedy left. The basic idea behind Rag Gardening is to prevent cold air from reaching the plant. The same is true for freeze protection, although many times this requires the addition of a heat source. (A light bulb inside a "tent" that reaches all the way to the ground is the easiest and most effective method for the homeowner.)
All of us have newspapers or old sheets and towels that can be used to cover plants. Another alternative is purchased polypropylene rowcovers – a light, effective means of plant protection for temperatures as low as 26°F. When using any of these materials, cover plants BEFORE nightfall to ensure trapping as much radiant heat as possible. The more ground included under the cover, the more radiant heat will be available to the plant.
Make sure that your "rag" is secured to the ground and that there are no open spots that will allow heat to escape or cold air to enter through or under the cover. Some purchased rowcovers can be kept on the plant without damage, but be sure to always remove sheets, towels and newspapers before the plants are in the direct sun. Plastic covers/tarps are NOT recommended. They tend to conduct cold and invite tissue damage where they are in contact with the plant.
Val Ford is a Holmes County Master Gardener. If you have a gardening question or problem, contact your county Extension Office, or Val at vford@digitalexp.com
Page created and maintained by West Florida Electric Cooperative, Inc. © 2001.
designed by embryo design