Tips to Avoid Frost Damage in Your Landscape

While we don’t have typically have much heavy snow or extreme cold in Georgia, our winter and early spring season can certainly include some frost-ridden mornings. Unfortunately, frost can cause irreversible damage to plants throughout your landscape. Here are some tips to prevent frost damage and ensure your landscape revives to beauty in the spring.

What is Frost?
Frost often develops on your grass and trees after a cold night when there is little to no wind. When the temperature is below 40 degrees and the air is still, the cold air sinks closer to the ground, where it vaporizes and develops condensation on the leaves of your plants. Due to the cold, it produces ice crystals as it condenses.

Are Your Plants Susceptible to Frost? 
Not all plants will become damaged or weakened by frost, especially if the frost is light and only lasts a few hours. However, there are plenty of plant types that are vulnerable to frost, including the following:

• Tender Blooms (early spring)
• Potted plants
• Perennials
• Certain fruits and vegetables, and perennials are all particularly vulnerable.

How Can I Tell if Frost Damage Affected My Plants?
The effects of frost on your plants isn’t always apparent at first. However, you may notice the following signs of frost damage over time:

• Wilted outer leaf growth
• Droopy leaves
• Color changes (black or brown patches)
• Dead or dying leaves

Preventing Frost Damage

While it may be possible to revive frostbitten plants in some cases, it is best to prevent it in the first place. Here are some ways to protect your plants when the temperatures drop overnight:

• Know the forecast and prepare your plants.
• Cover your plants (a nighttime sheet or cloth can blanket your plants from an expected frost.
• Wrap your new plants if the frost is expected to be longer in duration.
• Bring plants indoors when possible.
• Water your plants because hydration can help the plant withstand light frost.

For more tips on protecting your landscape during cold or unpredictable temperatures, call Mobile Joe’s Landscaping. We offer affordable pricing for all types of lawn maintenance plans.