DON'T USE PLASTIC to cover plants for frost!

sandy0225 · 09-17-2011, 03:07 PM

FYI, PLEASE don't use plastic or plastic tarps to cover your plants if there is a freeze/frost predicted. Plastic does not stop frost, and you might not have good results. A plastic tarp is still plastic, just with a different texture.
Anywhere that the plastic touches the leaves, they will get frosted/nipped/damaged anyway in those spots. The only way you can use plastic is if you make a frame to keep it up off the leaves, or you're just trying to save the stem anyway and are just using the leaves for a frame to throw the plastic over.
Just use an old bedsheet, blanket, throw, etc. Take it off in the morning after the frost melts and wash it if it gets dirty. You can loosely pin it together with clothespins to make a custom cover if you think it might get windy.

Olafhenny · 09-17-2011, 11:16 PM

Thank you, Sandy, this is one piece of advise, which makes a whole lot of sense. I do not plan to use any
frost protection in fall, unless the frost period is very early and predicted to be very short. I intent to let the
frost nip the leaves of my basjoos before I do anything about protection, same as I did last year. At that time,
I trust, I will have enough dropped leaves to pile them on. But in spring your advice will come in very handy.

Thanks again,
Olaf

09-17-2011, 03:07 PM	#1 (permalink)
sandy0225 Northern Tropics sandy0225's Photo Gallery Location: Muncie, Indiana zone 5 Find me on the map! Zone: zone 5 Name: Sandy Join Date: Nov 2005 Posts: 1,718 BananaBucks : 383,893 Feedback: 31 / 97% Said "Thanks" 38 Times Was Thanked 1,801 Times in 682 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 9 Times	DON'T USE PLASTIC to cover plants for frost! FYI, PLEASE don't use plastic or plastic tarps to cover your plants if there is a freeze/frost predicted. Plastic does not stop frost, and you might not have good results. A plastic tarp is still plastic, just with a different texture. Anywhere that the plastic touches the leaves, they will get frosted/nipped/damaged anyway in those spots. The only way you can use plastic is if you make a frame to keep it up off the leaves, or you're just trying to save the stem anyway and are just using the leaves for a frame to throw the plastic over. Just use an old bedsheet, blanket, throw, etc. Take it off in the morning after the frost melts and wash it if it gets dirty. You can loosely pin it together with clothespins to make a custom cover if you think it might get windy. __________________ Sandy Burrell Northern Tropics Greenhouse 1501 East Fuson Road Muncie, IN 47302 www.northerntropics.com specializing in bananas, heirloom tomatoes and water gardening plants~ check out our new online store at our website!

09-17-2011, 11:16 PM	#2 (permalink)
Olafhenny Olafhenny's Photo Gallery Location: Penticton, BC, Okanagan Valley, Canada Find me on the map! Zone: Hardiness Zone 6 Name: Olaf Join Date: Apr 2010 Posts: 1,705 BananaBucks : 259,469 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 2,050 Times Was Thanked 2,012 Times in 876 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 77 Times	Re: DON'T USE PLASTIC to cover plants for frost! Thank you, Sandy, this is one piece of advise, which makes a whole lot of sense. I do not plan to use any frost protection in fall, unless the frost period is very early and predicted to be very short. I intent to let the frost nip the leaves of my basjoos before I do anything about protection, same as I did last year. At that time, I trust, I will have enough dropped leaves to pile them on. But in spring your advice will come in very handy. Thanks again, Olaf __________________ The reason I joined this forum was to share experiences, my own and those of others and to learn from them.

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