Frost cloth would like the pro's and cons of frost cloth. I have never used this before would like to know how good this is. I always have wrapped my plants with blankets and paper would like it a little easier this year. Thanks Dana
Frost cloth
I'm interested in this, too, Dana. I have some on hand as part of my arsenal in case we have cold snaps like this past winter.
Kathleen
Hopefully Brad will pop up on this thread. I think he has some and used them last year, I believe.
My dad grows watermelons under frost cloth in the early spring here in Yuma. I will get as much info as possible from him, temp thresh holds, type of cloth, etc.
Davie
they are easy to use. i propped up stakes around my plumeria and made a tent with the frost cloth. i used the fabric frost cloth. it is breathable and lets in filtered sunlight much like a linen bed sheet. the nice thing is that you can leave them up during the day for days on end if the weather is going to be cold. that's all there is too it. you could use it during the summer to provide filtered sunlight for germinating seedlings.
I found a web site with it for sale 8 ft by 500 ft 78 dollars plus shipping I'm getting ready early this year. they measure it by oz, per yard 1.5 oz per yard is medium there is lighter 2.0 oz is heavy for really cold
Talked with my father. He said they use your normal frost cloth that you can get at any nursery. It is the 2 oz type. They use it after transplanting while the plants are still very tender. He said it is good above 27 degrees F. After it dips below 27 degrees he said he starts to see some damage, and below 25 he sees real damage. Buying some left over cloth from him for this upcoming winter, want to be prepared in case we have a repeat of last year!
Davie
are you saying that it keeps the plants above freezing when the temp is say 27.5 degrees?
Correct Dete. That's how he explained it to me.
Good to know, Davie! Thanks! Edited to add: I think if the ground freezes, the trees will die, but if the freeze is short, meaning just a couple of hours, it could provide some protection.
This message was edited Oct 2, 2007 7:03 AM
Last year it got down to 28 here held it for a few hours. Even though I had everything wrapped it still burnt the tips. I have seen pretty big trees close by and asked the owners what they do. One man told me he digs it up every winter waits for it to get really cold knocks the dirt off and stores it in his spare bedroom. Cuts a third of the roots off in the spring replants and it takes right off again. this tree is huge would love to watch him do it.
i had damage at those temps, too. i store bareroot for two years. i found that i take them longer to come back in the spring so i stopped that. now they just stay in pots or in the ground and die back. bummer!