Tricks for avoiding frost damage for tropical plants

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There are lots of tricks for avoiding frost damage if you live in an area, like I do, where the temperatures can get below 32 degrees F (0 C). In fact, the tropical plants in my yard have survived temperatures down into the teens (F). If you were here in Phoenix during the "big frost of 2007", you remember those temperatures! Here are some tricks to give your tropical plants as much help as possible during those cold winter months.

• Plant on a slope. Cold air flows down, like water. Don't plant in a "cold air puddle"!

• Keep the plants growing close together. This is the simple idea of "huddling for warmth". Not only, in my opinion, do tropical plants look better crowded together, it helps them during cold temperatures.

• If you are fortunate to have block walls, that helps, too. The heat from the day is held in the block and released at night. Don't stucco them, paint them, or cover them up with a lot of decorations. They work best as is.

• If you live north of the equator, avoid planting a lot of cold-sensitive plants along a southern wall of your property - that is known as the "northern exposure" - and gets very little light during the winter, and is cold.

• Plant under trees, or under overhangs. These objects catch the cold air as it is coming down and protects the plants beneath them.

• If it's going to get really, really cold, cover your plants, especially if they are young. I don't do this (although I should have in 2007!) because my plants are well-established and because I use the tricks above. To cover your plants, use old bed sheets, or the special "thermal cloth" available at Home Depot or Walmart. Never, ever, use plastic! And be sure to take the cover off your plants in the morning as soon as the sun begins to touch your plants. You can cover your plants as soon as the sun goes down. If you're not sure if it will be cold enough to cover your plants, keep an eye on your neighbors. If your neighbor has nice tropical plants, and gray hair, they might be a good person to follow!

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