Re: Frost Protection in South Florida!!!
 

Kevin,

Orifice Depot has lots and lots of everthing for the office in big packages. Can't buy a single box of paper clips. Thought the Canadian competitor was called "Out The Wazoo". Sorta same theme. They sell a whole lot of crap, most of which you don't need.

Last night's low was 30F at my place and 32F is tomorrows low forcast. The blankets come off Wed AM. Will post pics if there is anything left to show, eh?

Quick Winnipeg story --- around May years ago the wife attended a library association conference in Detroit. A bunch of librarians decided to pop over the border and have high tea in Winnipeg. The proprietor asked if they would like some scones, to which they all replied, "what's a scone?". She said, "you know, like your ma used to make". They all had no idea - and the funny thing was the group had members from all over the USA.

Today we make scones and Scottish shortbread and enjoy them very much -- no haggis, no way.

Dan

Re: Frost Protection in South Florida!!!
 

No snow this time but this is what we got for a place that normally gets under freezing 1-2 times a year (usually barely).

1/5 - 25
1/6 - 29
1/7 - 29
1/8 - 25
1/9 - 18 - Popped the breaker on my sprinkler system - oh fun
1/10 - 20
1/11 - 24

Re: Frost Protection in South Florida!!!
 

Dan how did your banana fare from the cold?

Re: Frost Protection in South Florida!!!
 

Good one!

Uh, how do you pop over the border to Winnipeg from Detroit? It's a bit of a drive. Do you mean Windsor?

Re: Frost Protection in South Florida!!!
 

Kevin,

Checked with Angie -- yes, it was Windsor. Winnepeg was a different trip and that one was in January. It was so cold then it made New Jersey feel like where we are now. Ironically, we lived in East Windsor.

Dan

Re: Frost Protection in South Florida!!!
 

Dan how did your banana fare from the cold?

Re: Frost Protection in South Florida!!!
 

How normal is 18F for Houston? Did you lose any plants?? That just seems like such a long cold spell.. wow

We're getting some warm subtropical rain now in the Sacramento area and haven't had frost in over a month. But things could always change:) let's hope they don't!

Re: Frost Protection in South Florida!!!
 

For that day the record that was broken was in 1976. The single digit number in 1989 was Feb 2 I believe. Not sure about the plants yet didn't do a full assesment. My guess is the mandarin and lime trees are gone because they were not protected. I'm keeping any eye on the bananans so far not mush yet.

Bright side - The apples, peach and blueberry trees should actually do better this year.

Re: Frost Protection in South Florida!!!
 

I learned last couple years if it gets below freezing for longer than 2-3 hours most leaves are toast despite what I have tried.
Some are a tad more resistant than others, and it depended on their location in my yard.
I stacked bales of hay around the plants, wrapped the plant/leaves, and then covered the whole thing.....leaves go despite my efforts, plant survives but not enough leaves to fruit.

This year I did nothing to save any.
1) 3 days of extended below freezing hours
2) I wanted to replant different species anyways

However I am the saddest for my coconut palm......decimated! And winters not over. I have 2 viable fronds left :mad::mad:

Re: Frost Protection in South Florida!!!
 

Removed the frost blankets and all the bananas survived - including all the pups, the shortest of which were not covered!

Ran the irrigation every night before the frost low temps hit and that probably helped.

The tomatoes, swiss chard and pigeon peas all are good with minor damage to the tomatoes and pp's. The 6 basil are toast - that was expected, but I covered them anyway.

Banana leaf damage per plant ranged from 30% to 60% burnt up - and most stayed partially green. The innermost leaves, the latest growth, were protected by the oldest. The latter took the hardest hit.

Here are pics showing the most, average and least damaged by nine days of at or below freezing temperatures.

Least damaged, the SH3640


Average damage, Dwarf Brazil


Worst damage, the poor Ae Ae


I'm happy! Should get bunches of different fruit this year. Unlike 2008, which produced one bunch of decent, but stunted, Goldfingers with 15 different cultivars in the ground. Oh, yeah - one small bunch of Hua Moa too.

Commercial vegetable crops were a near-total to total loss in the following south coastal Florida counties -- Indian River, St lucie and Martin. All saw major losses to the tomato, strawberry, cabbage, pepper, lettuce, arugala, sweet corn and potato crops. Most would have been ready to harvest in a month or so.

Did Bananas Foster tonight. Myers dark rum and " 99 Bananas" banana schnapps liqueur (this stuff is 99 proof). When I flamed the sauce it took over 30 secs to extinguish. Used Alton Brown's recipe and am still trying to gather all my brains - they fell out - it was so good!!!!!!!!

Wishing everyone a better spring and summer than this terrible winter season has been.

Dan

Re: Frost Protection in South Florida!!!
 

Mine may make it as well (no question the corm). I may lose the outer layer on one. One of them had a few soft spots. What I did was cut a 1-2mm deep vertical line to let the moisture drain out so it didn't damage the rest of the pstem. Those outer layers usually swell and split open during normal growing anyway.

Re: Frost Protection in South Florida!!!
 

I can say I still have 7 of 9 growing with the heat-tapes. :^)