South Georgia and Central Alabama had a blast a week ago and another blast is already on its way again. Predicted lows are not quite as low as last week and again temps will rise above freezing each day. With young trees like those pictured ice can be very destructive by breaking lots of limbs. You gotta do what you gotta do.
I really like the idea of wrapping a little more than 36” of small tubing wrapped around the tree trunk carrying water to a micro mister on the top of each tree. The water temp in the tube keeps the trunk from freezing and the micro mister helps the same way as always used. The added benefit it the long tube wrapped around the tree supplying water to the mister instead of the tube just going straight to the mister. The idea is the tube carries water from the ground that’s warmer than freezing and it is discharged quickly enough to prevent freezing in the tubing while insulating the trunk too.
I saw this in south Alabama and it has worked great for the guy that figured out the longer tubing. I think he used 44” and it really helped. These really unusual freezing events make growing citrus very difficult but there are innovations that can help. After Satsumas get older and larger they are more cold hardy than most edible citrus.
If it was easy everybody would be doing it.
Tom
