Your Poor Plants Have Been Through Enough, Try These Winterization Tips

North Texas has been flirting with freezing temperatures lately, so before the first official day of winter arrives Dec. 21, prepare your plants for winter and temperatures that drop below freezing with these tips.

But first, a plant biology recap from Lawns of Dallas. All plants have a critical temperature point, a temperature at which physiological frost or freeze damage occurs. Tropical plants such as palm trees have a higher critical temperature point whereas plants more acclimated for colder climates can survive lower, even below-freezing temperatures. 

“Critically low temperatures can cut a plant’s lifespan in half,” says Ryan Burrow of Lawns of Dallas.

Cold weather prep for plants in winter

Drought-stressed plants are more susceptible to cold damage, so watering plants a few days in advance of a cold snap is beneficial. Watering just before the freeze can help too because water creates warmth, and then loses its heat slowly over the hours into the colder temperatures.

But remember that some plants are more sensitive to cold temperatures than others. For example, tropical plants will be much more sensitive to cool temperatures and often can be damaged even if the temperature does not hit freezing. 

When in doubt, move your potted plants to the garage or inside your home. If you can’t move your plants, cover them.

How to cover your plants

For light frost that doesn’t last for too long, if possible, move potted plants close to the house and preferably on a southern exposure. Shrubs on the northern side of your home or building are more likely to perish since they are shielded from the sun’s warmth the longest, Burrow says. 

To cover plants effectively, drape things over the top of the plant all the way to the soil, then secure the drape with boards or rocks. The warmth of the soil is what actually helps keep the plant warm. Since the soil takes much longer to freeze, it offers warmer air than the freezing temperatures surrounding the plant. The idea is to trap enough warmer air escaping from the soil to protect plants from a killing freeze.  

Here’s an unexpected tip we found from the experts at Texas A&M Agrilife: Stringing holiday lights around plants and covering them with a tarp can provide protection from light freezes.

In flower beds, covering sensitive plants with a heavy covering of leaves can also help provide some frost protection. Basically, anything that helps blanket the base and soil of the plant is beneficial.

Plants in containers are more susceptible to freezing temperatures because they lack the insulation the soil provides. They should be moved inside the home or garage — any space where temperatures will stay above freezing.

If container plants cannot be moved indoors, put them on the south side of the house, water them well and pile on mulch or leaves to protect the roots and/or cover them with a frost blanket.

Plan for Next Year

Burrow says after last February’s winter storm, they’ve adjusted their annual and perennial recommendations for plants that handle extreme cold much better.

Some of their current recommendations:

• Pentas
• Alyssum
• Celosia
• Marigolds
• Begonias
• Coleus
• Blue Daze
• Impatiens
• Portulaca
• Vinca
• Scaevola
• Potato Vine
• Caladiums
• Lantana

Lawns of Dallas helps homeowners and commercial property owners throughout the Metroplex design and maintain their best-looking lawns and landscaping. The Lawns of Dallas team was recently awarded the National Association of Landscaping Professionals Silver Award for their client in Lakewood. The design was created by their in-house landscape designer, Sam Artz, who worked with the clients to create a timeless traditional design at their estate. Their team did the installation, and they are maintaining the property as well.

Lawns of Dallas can help winterize your landscaping and plan more winter-hardy plants next year. Contact Lawns of Dallas at 214-357-6522 or visit LawnsofDallas.com for a quote request.