Author Topic: I'm in BIG Trouble!! (Read 9874 times)

puglvr1 · « **on:** September 25, 2012, 10:38:14 AM »

Took some pictures of my fruit trees and realized how much trouble I'm going to be in when a FREEZE hits them this winter. These are trees that have been trimmed right after fruiting. For the first time since I planted them they've finally grown large enough where it will be VERY difficult if not nearly impossible to cover and protect them. I just don't have covers that are long/large enough to completely protect them...Whoa is me

Lychee tree...this one is growing like crazy. I planted it Feb. 2011

The poles are 6ft tall...

Mango trees...

Luckily...Pickering, Lancetilla and Keitt are still pretty easy to protect

FlyingFoxFruits · « **Reply #1 on:** September 25, 2012, 11:09:04 AM »

aye indeed,

your words spoke well, but pictures even better.

reminds me of a parent dressing their child for a cold winters day...only to realize, their baby is no longer a babe.

you will do just fine!! u seem to have a forest green thumb!

thanks for posting the pics and paragraphs

TropicalFruitHunters · « **Reply #2 on:** September 25, 2012, 12:26:18 PM »

Trees look great. I'm sure you will come up with something. I hope so...would hate to see your plants get frozen like before.

HMHausman · « **Reply #3 on:** September 25, 2012, 12:52:23 PM »

This definitely falls under the heading of "Good news and Bad News." Well......you hoped for this problem one day....if you were not in total zone denial, now you got your wish....gorgeous, lush healthy trees that fruit. How'bout some sort of tarp you can throw over the top of the wind screens? The additional good news is that there is some further cold tolerance with trees as they get larger. All we can do is hope for some cold that doesn't linger. Really great looking trees though, glad you documented your growing success.

Tropicdude · « **Reply #4 on:** September 25, 2012, 01:41:34 PM »

Not much experience myself with protecting trees from the cold, but was thinking you could use a light weight breathable cover, like they use on cars , some are huge for RVs. put a few lights under for warmth when you get a cold front and viola, that should keep em safe.

phantomcrab · « **Reply #5 on:** September 25, 2012, 01:53:24 PM »

Suppose it does not freeze or frost this winter. Then you will really have big trouble next year with all that fruit to eat and much larger trees to cover.

CoPlantNut · « **Reply #6 on:** September 25, 2012, 02:30:11 PM »

Congratulations! You've got zone-denial success: a plant so happy that it is hard to protect in your zone anymore.

I'd bet for this winter you could get away with tarps / blankets thrown over the top; mylar blankets are available cheaply and would work well. The leaves touching the blanket might get frosted, but you'd only end up with damage to the top-most leaves on the trees.

Many party-rental places have extremely large tents available for rent; the companies local to me will even set it up and tear it down for a small fee. You could "throw a party" over your trees when frost is forecast... It won't work in zone 5 to protect a mango or lychee, but in your area I bet it would be perfect.

Kevin

JF · « **Reply #7 on:** September 25, 2012, 07:45:48 PM »

Nancy

that's the kind of trouble I like to be in! those trees look amazing! and as Harry pointed out they look to be well established which will make them more cold-resistant. how cold does it get up there?

Guanabanus · « **Reply #8 on:** September 25, 2012, 08:15:22 PM »

Floating Row Covers should work. They are available in many sizes, from various sources, including Gardens Alive.

MarinFla · « **Reply #9 on:** September 25, 2012, 08:30:17 PM »

Nancy!!!! They all look so beautiful!! What an awesome job you've done with a little help from Mother Nature.
Can't wait to see how the fruiting goes for next year. Keep up the great work.

johnb51 · « **Reply #10 on:** September 25, 2012, 10:36:41 PM »

You could build little fires around them!

fruitlovers · « **Reply #11 on:** September 25, 2012, 11:22:25 PM »

You can arch a piece of PVC pipe between 2 of your existing poles. Use whatever diameter necessary for it to fit the pole inside the PVC. Use 2 PVC pipes to form 2 arches, the put 3 or 4 braces across to strengthen them. In that way you can easily still cover over the top of your trees.
Another option is you could also put larger diameter pipe poles over your existing poles to make them telescope to the height size you wqnt.

bradflorida · « **Reply #12 on:** September 25, 2012, 11:44:38 PM »

Along the lines of what Oscar is talking about, there is a guy named Doug Suddaby, of the Sarasota Fruit and Nut Society, who gave a presentation last year on the construction of PVC frame frost houses. They might be 8 or 10 feet tall I think. You could contact the club and try to get Doug's contact info and get the plans.

http://www.sarasotafruitandnutsociety.org/meetings/2011_meeting_pictures.html

Brad

bradflorida · « **Reply #13 on:** September 25, 2012, 11:46:27 PM »

Christmas lights, and wrapping trunks in thick insulation also?

Brad

Dangermouse01 · « **Reply #14 on:** September 26, 2012, 05:44:22 AM »

Quote from: bradflorida on September 25, 2012, 11:44:38 PM

Along the lines of what Oscar is talking about, there is a guy named Doug Suddaby, of the Sarasota Fruit and Nut Society, who gave a presentation last year on the construction of PVC frame frost houses. They might be 8 or 10 feet tall I think. You could contact the club and try to get Doug's contact info and get the plans.

http://www.sarasotafruitandnutsociety.org/meetings/2011_meeting_pictures.html

Here is a link to the newsletter article about his presentation.
http://www.sarasotafruitandnutsociety.org/newsletters/2011/October2011.pdf

Puglvr1, I want my mango trees to look like yours, guess I will have to print out some of your pictures and have a talk with my trees one of these days.

DM

puglvr1 · « **Reply #15 on:** September 26, 2012, 08:23:44 AM »

Thanks everyone!! I appreciate the kind comments and ALL your advise and help.

I will do my best to protect them, but it really is going to be VERY difficult now that they have gotten so much bigger.
Hopefully, the trees being a little more mature and established helps them make it...guess it will depend on how low it gets and the duration.

I guess I never thought I would actually see them this day happen.

My best scenario would be what phantomcrab said...NO freeze. I can only wish!!

JF, the worst freeze I've ever seen living in FL was I believe the winter of 2009/2010 when the lowest temp was recorded at 23-24 degrees in my back yard. We actually had about 6 or 7 nights total for that winter year hovering between 23-32 degrees on different mornings. Broke SO many winter records here in FL of over 20+ plus years that winter. I hope I never see it again for at least another 20+ years

Jay, I hope I don't have to post pictures of freeze damage this coming winter...I don't think I can handle it,lol...

Thanks again for all your help and ideas and compliments!!

TropicalFruitHunters · « **Reply #16 on:** September 26, 2012, 08:36:37 AM »

If it gets that cold, obviously just covering them is not going to be enough. Could you extend the covers around the plants and then put a couple of heavy duty spot lights in each enclosure? If covered well, enough heat may build up to take the freezing edge off.

Might be a little pricey...but instead of the more permanent structures that you have, what about those "pop-up" canopies? The ones that are so quick to put up and take down. Your plants are getting to the size where you need something that is quick and easy to put up and remove from the plants only when needed. Hopefully you'd only need them a time or two each year.

tabbydan · « **Reply #17 on:** September 26, 2012, 08:47:19 AM »

Even with a streak as cold as described he might be able to get away with just covering the trees. After all the soil temperature will be significantly higher, so if they are tented and somewhat insulated from the outside air the soil will warm up the air around them, buckets of water also help as water has a high heat capacity and takes absorbs a fair amount of cold before freezing.

LarryG · « **Reply #18 on:** September 26, 2012, 11:06:26 AM »

Great photos, but I noticed that the bottom of your "tent" is exposed to the elements. My experience in protecting my cacao, abiu, and breadfruit trees in south Florida is to make sure the roots and trunk are protected when the temps really drop, as was the case in 2009/2010. I add about six inches of mulch around the base of the tree and I also wrap 3 or 4 layers of burlap around the trunk from the ground level to several feet above the ground. I also run a hose from my water heater and soak the mulch with hot (not scalding) water. I repeat this process every evening at dusk for the duration of the cold snap. Good luck.

simon_grow · « **Reply #19 on:** September 26, 2012, 11:21:25 AM »

If you are able to cover your trees but for some reason are not able to put lights next to them, perhaps you can throw a couple hand warmers beneath each tree. It will be costly but there are hand warmers that last 12 plus hours. If you have a few trees that are close enough together, you may be able to use a propane patio heater.

If you want to be more passive, I've read someone recommending to put large tubs of water around your trees. The container should be dark color to absorb the heat of the day and slowly release it at night. Wraps around the trunk will also help your tree. I've also seen some solar powered walkway lights at the home improvement stores that may help but will probably give off only a very small amount of heat.
Simon

TropicalFruitHunters · « **Reply #20 on:** September 26, 2012, 12:53:34 PM »

Came across this. An intersting comment concerned the type of cover used.
http://www.garden.org/regional/report/arch/inmygarden/3325

phantomcrab · « **Reply #21 on:** September 26, 2012, 04:25:06 PM »

Actually you are already keeping your trees compact and low which is a good thing to do to weather proof a plant. The leaves and proximity to the ground will keep wind and cold away from the trunk. As Harry said, the more mature the mango tree the more cold tolerant it will be. I would still wrap the trunk though.

Guanabanus · « **Reply #22 on:** September 26, 2012, 08:12:54 PM »

Make sure your plants have access to plenty of Potassium, Silicon, and Calcium for toughness. Potassium Silicate spray is good.

CoPlantNut · « **Reply #23 on:** September 26, 2012, 09:35:14 PM »

Quote from: Guanabanus on September 26, 2012, 08:12:54 PM

Make sure your plants have access to plenty of Potassium, Silicon, and Calcium for toughness. Potassium Silicate spray is good.

I'll second that; I've had good luck using potassium silicate as a foliar spray to help get plants through a "light freeze" before. It didn't seem to help when temps got below 27 degrees, but it did seem to reduce freeze damage down to 28 degrees. Since my winters always get down to -10 or below it still won't let me grow anything tropical in the ground...

phantomcrab · « **Reply #24 on:** September 27, 2012, 08:02:59 AM »

Quote

Quote from: Guanabanus on September 26, 2012, 08:12:54 PM

Make sure your plants have access to plenty of Potassium, Silicon, and Calcium for toughness. Potassium Silicate spray is good.

I'll second that; I've had good luck using potassium silicate as a foliar spray to help get plants through a "light freeze" before. It didn't seem to help when temps got below 27 degrees, but it did seem to reduce freeze damage down to 28 degrees. Since my winters always get down to -10 or below it still won't let me grow anything tropical in the ground...

This is interesting. I knew silicates helped with mildew resistance. At what concentration do you spray the potassium silicate for cold protection?

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Author Topic: I'm in BIG Trouble!! (Read 9874 times)