Protection from heavy frost?

We will likely experience significant frost over the next couple of days. I have a couple of very young JM planted in the ground which are leafing out as we speak. They are each about 4 feet high with spindly, delicate branches. A bed sheet will be too heavy for these branches. This coupled with wind may very well result in broken limbs...so maybe worse than having the effects of frost. Any ideas as to how to provide protection as easily as possible for the next 48 hours?

This message was edited May 13, 2013 12:53 PM

Something lightweight like the polar tec type blankets or throws you can find in some dollar stores. They are inexpensive, especially this time of year, and they work well as does quilt batting from Walmart but the batting tends to get stuck on some of the branches making it more difficult to remove - but I have used it successfully with some care. Rain will not make either one heavy which is a plus.

Good luck with this crazy weather.

the trees are tougher than you think rouge they should be ok left to the elements

Try putting tomato cages around them and then cover with plastic. Secure the cages to the ground so wind does not blow them over. Take bags off during the day.

Dave

This is the first spring for the JMs in question and they only started leafing out last week. I wanted to protect these youngins' this first season out of the pot and in the ground. But FWIW, again there was no frost last night. Here was one of them covered with plastic last night

Plastic can damage the leaves if it is not held well away on some sort of frame as anywhere it touches the foliage can freeze. Try something more porous- during the off season try and grab up some floating row cover material when it is on sale. It keeps forever and is very handy to have on hand. I also bought an enormous roll of burlap years ago and have used it 100 times for things like this.
Rig a teepee like structure with long stakes (also very handy for many things) and take the cover all the way to the ground so the warmth of the earth is enclosed.

I realize the threat is over for this year but these are all things any gardener should keep on hand.

Thanks for the information. What is "floating row cover"? I wonder if it goes under other names.

It's that thin, white, fabric like stuff that looks like interfacing (if you are a seamstress)-
http://www.amazon.com/Dalen-HG25-Harvest-Guard-Cover/dp/B000HHQNBG

It comes in different weights for protection to different temperatures, is very lightweight (doesn't weigh down foliage), easy to store, and is easily cut to size with scissors. If you buy in bulk it is very economical.

All these ways above are ok but carry risks . mainly if wind they blow off and if youi forget to take them off they will burn your plants and hurt them as much as frost .. .. It is different if you have a hard freeze .. you are stuck with these techniques .. most larger trees can withstand short periods of even freezing temps such as 30 degree weather .but if nightly for a prlonged time you may be in trouble. The will have damaged leaves that can be pulled off and the secondary leaves will appear . this makes them a bit weaker in hard winters but in 3 weeks you won't even know they have been through as frost. The kicker is small ebay type trees 1 gal or even 2 gal newly grafted ( don't go by years go by seasons .. if grafted in fall and sold in spring they are NOT 1 year old not even one season old) larger more developed trees will be fine.. being a penny wise and a pound foolish is just that!! . Getting left over damaged plants from Lowes even if bigger you might as well donate your tree .. you may have luck you may not put your #$$ down and takes your chances.. .Over all temps of 35-32 may frost your tree but damaged is limited on more mature trees.The bigger problem this spring is water damage if sitting in water as many have done this spring with all the rain , it will be toast. Older trees have a better chance but still vulnerable. Planting Jms on berms in areas prone to wetness is the only good solution.. The oter big killer is a very hot summer like last summer .. smaller trees with undeveloped root systems will be hard to water staying too wet or too dry they are toast. Best always to keep smaller trees in pots to move in shade near where you remember to water them and if you leave on a summer vacation be sure to have a reliable person water them . ALL JMS LIKE TO DRY OUT A DAY OR SO BEFORE WATERING AGAIN. Summer damage on older trees will deleaf them ( if like last summer) and again they may be weakened enough that a cold winter does them in .. Solutuion is to not plant in full sun if possible . Davidsan

This is one of those things where JM's in different parts of the country can require different growing conditions. Having spoken with several JM growers in the Carolinas recently I have learned that here in the deep South, where the weather does not fluctuate so wildly like it does in the Mid- West, they love full sun to partial shade. There is even an article in the current issue of Carolina Gardening magazine referencing this. Full shade will cause them to get spindly. However, they do require a lot more moisture here and should never be allowed completely to dry out. This is contrary to most everything I have ever read about most plants and trees but it does work for JM's down here. Most of the time it is the reverse and we have to grow plants in shade that would be full sun further north. Just something to keep us on our toes. Rouge, in zone 5b, should follow davidsan's advice.

Actually any grower who tells you that full sun in the south is ok is out of their minds.with BS. Do at your own risk they will burn to crap mid summer .. all jms south or north like afternoon shade or filtered shade .. there are also trees that can take full shade without a problem.
The fluctuation mid summer up here is non existent.. flux is in spring very early summer and fall.. Putting them on a good drip irrigation system may help but the growers are not generally selling to those that have that and for one or two trees it may or may not be worth it.. Mine burn up here even in 50% shade houses if summer is hot enough.
What you are saying is just not right.. most folks in south use Jms as understudy trees .. but NOT full shade . You are correct on that point but several varieties that take full shade but if you buy a cheap one gal tree if it will not grow at all well in full shade and you are correct it will be spindly .. bigger established trees that do fine in full shade like Shojo nomura will grow slower but not be spindly since they are not babies and already established ..Same goes for full sun put a cheap ebay one gal out in full sun anywhere and you will likely have a dead tree.. established trees do better but in south it would be ludicrous to plant any Jm in full sun IMHO.. Maybe a 2000$ older tree would do ok but that is not most Jms folks plant . Ask 1000 folks down south how they plant Jms and they will trell you they would never plant in full sun full sun. There are re though couple of trees developed for south like Glowing Embers and Hefners Red select and Ep they "may" work in full sun better than others if you don't go cheap and buy a poorly established tree.My hefners did fine last summer in 100 degree heat for 2.5 months and no rain they were hand watered UGGG . Davidsan

I use Burlap alot. It is great to put around stuff, especially newly-planted stuff, and it is a great wind break as well as sun shade. Just pound some stakes into the ground, and wrap the burlap around it.
My first HOT VIRGINIA summer with a "rescued" Thundercloud Pine, I made a scaffold out of unused stakes, then threw the Burlap over the top. The Pine rested, got its strength together, and now, it is greatly rewarding us.
The thing is, Burlap is organic, and it BREATHES while allowing elements to give the newbies just a taste of what they will deal with as they age.

Thunderheads are really tricky I have lost dozens of them I don't carry them any more .. very suseptable to disease and winter temp swings and moisture .,. They may do better in south but north I wouldn't touch them . Other conifers do fineeven Larch ( not rated for this area)and and cedar.. Buy thunderheads up here andfyou maybe have a 50% chance of them living even very large ones.. Once they start turning brown in areas they are toast.

Davidson, thanks for the advice, and ALSO the correction with the name. Don't know why I can't get it down...it is in fairly sheltered location between the house and shed, and gets a break from the horrid afternoon sun. I'll be watching out for brown areas! Jeese I hope that this guy survives - he has a real personality.