OK
so forgive the name of the post
maybe " frost protection ideas for sensitive and subtropical plants" ?
Anyway,
i grow and LOVE papaya , and, in New Orleans, they often get killed by freezes
before i can get fruit.
in milder winters they pull through with just leaf loss.
i came up with a couple of tricks though.
perhaps some of you know these
but it was a learning experience for me.
First, i started planting the ones i really wanted on the South facing wall of my house
since i had to be a few feet away from the wall, i decided to start watering
ONLY on that side of the plant.
NOT watering near the trunk, and NOT watering on the side away from the house.
This made the roots grow toward the house where it is warmer.
I also have a hibiscus on one side,, and a evergreen boxwood on the other
they provide a lot of protection from the wind.
Wind is something i didnt realize was so important.
it not only dries out the plant, increasing water stress,
but, it takes away the heat around the plant.
minimizing ANY air movement around the plant is essential.
---
27F degrees a week before the photo.
---
---
Next, i added mulch.
Im sure most of you know this, but i underestimated how important it is.
The area between the plant and the house now has 2ft of mulch
and i am working on more !!
since the house keeps the ground warm for a few feet around it
adding 2ft of mulch makes a world of difference.
With the plants on each side, it creates a micro-environment which is quite warm.
---
---
i have several other papaya
on this one, i had built up an area of the yard a few inches.
this part of my yard is low, and not really the best area for papaya
but, i am limited on higher ground that gets sun.
i should have built up the soil level a bit more
- project for next time, when i have to re-plant.
a neighbor was throwing away a banana tree he had chopped down.
i added other yard waste and mulch on top
of a plastic tarp.
When i know the weather will be warm for a week
i stick a hose under the tarp and water it.
but, now, it seems fairly moist, and it hasnt got water in a month.
--
--
---------
chopping the top off makes the plant grow shorter
(ive got dwarf seedlings growing now)
which reduces the heat loss from the wind.
I was torn to do this on the other plant near the house
i didnt want to loose all my fruit.
questions ?
Ideas ?