Frost damage at The Tropical Paradise

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Frost damage happens when cold air is allowed to "puddle" around a plant. Cold air moves the same way as water, it drains. If you look at your yard and want to avoid cold damage as much as possible to your tropical plants, keep that visual in mind. Here in The Tropical Paradise, most of the plants are on a gentle slope. The artificial turf is the lowest point. The cold air drains down and "puddles" over that area.

Pictured is some cold damage to the leaves of some ornamental sweet potato. In the wee hours of this morning, when the temperature dropped below 32 degrees F, the coldest air was at the lowest level. Above this level, there is no damage. You can check for the coldest area of your yard by watching where water goes when you have a hard rain. If you have an area with standing water, it is not a good place for a tropical plant in your yard. Planting it just a few feet away can make all the difference in the world!

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