Freeze Protection for Your Lawn

Protect your lawn from freeze damage by doing the following before a freeze:

Water Your Lawn– Thoroughly water your landscape plants before a freeze. This can help reduce any change in your plants caused by freeze damage. Cold and dry winds often accompany cold weather, which can dry out plants. By watering your plants, you will help retain moisture. Wetting the foliage of plants before a freeze does not, however, provide any cold protection. A well-watered soil will also absorb more solar radiation than dry soil and will re-radiate the heat during the night.

Move Plants Inside– If possible you’ll want to move all your plants, in containers, inside your home or office, where the temperatures will stay above freezing. If it’s not possible to bring them inside, try to place them close to the base of your home or office buildings to help keep them as warm as possible during a freeze. Covering your plants in plastic can also help keep them from getting freeze damage. If you move your plants inside, make sure you give them as much light as possible, so they can continue to grow.

Mulch– Mulch can help protect plants that are in ground. Using dry material like pine or straw will help keep moisture in.  You should be aware that mulches will only protect what they cover. Mulch at the base of a bird-of-paradise will help the roots, but will provide no added protection to the leaves. Mulches, then, are best used to protect below-ground parts or crowns or may be used to completely cover low-growing plants to a depth of four inches. Leave complete covered on no more than three or four days.

Cover– Do your best to cover any outside plants with plastic or cardboard boxes. Styrofoam boxes also help with insulation. You want to cover them the best you can to avoid freeze damage.