View Full Version : Frost Protection?
auburnfan28
03-02-2011, 04:09 PM
My banana trees (Musa Ornata and Basjoo) have already started to sprout. In about a week, the forecast calls for an overnight low of 33. Should i try to cover them up with buckets or something, or will they just come right back if the frost gets them? And if the frost does get them, would you cut down the new growth that gets burnt?
Your plants will thank you the less they get beat up from the frost, so if it's at all practical, tent them up with sticks & old blankets.
If they do get frost bit, most folks see better results if you wait to trim off any damaged leaves, they can help protect the rest of the plant from further damage.
Hold off on any trimming for at least another month if at all possible.
If you happen to have any fan palms around that need trimming, the leaves make pretty good insulating material.
I like to make a cylinder out of concrete reinforcing wire - about 6"x6" mesh, & gently load with leaves & wrap with a blanket on the outside.
Doing that can become impractical depending on how tall your plants are, of course.
auburnfan28
03-02-2011, 08:59 PM
Thanks for the tip. I probably should have left the mulch on them a while longer, but we started having 70 degree days and I was really just trying to see if they survived the winter.
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