Protecting Tropical Fruit Trees from Frost and Cold Temperatures
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- Опубліковано 8 гру 2023
- It’s getting cold outside! I’m located in USDA garden zone 9B (about 45 mins west of downtown Phoenix, AZ) where we see average extreme lows between 25F and 30F degrees in winter. Many tropical fruit trees do not tolerate frost (especially when young) and can also be damaged when lows drop to the 30s or below. While the forecast does not show any frost in the next week, I have put up winter protection for my tropical plants in anticipation of frost and cold nights. Join me in this video to see the cold frame I use and methods to heat up the space where I have both in ground and container tropical fruit trees, including mango, starfruit, mangosteen, imbe, lychee, coffee, avocado, and many more. Below I share the links to products I used:
2.5 oz frost cloth roll - www.bootstrapfarmer.com/produ...
GUARD SHIELD White Tarp Waterproof 10x20 Feet Medium Duty All Purpose Poly Tarps Cover 7mil - www.amazon.com/GUARD-SHIELD-W...
4” x 1” snap clamps - www.greenhousemegastore.com/p...
25 Foot C9 Multi Ceramic Christmas String Light Set - www.amazon.com/Multi-Ceramic-...
Palma Greenhouse Heater 110v HT-BG-PALMA-M - www.greenhousemegastore.com/p...
BN-LINK 24 Hour Mechanical Outdoor Multi Socket Timer, 6 Outlet Garden Power Stake - www.amazon.com/Century-Mechan...
BN-LINK Digital Heat Mat Thermostat Controller - www.amazon.com/Century-Thermo...
Taylor Wired Digital Indoor/Outdoor Thermometer - www.amazon.com/Taylor-Digital... - Розваги
Looks really good. You have gone to a lot of hard work to protect the trees you love.
Thanks! It was quite the investment, especially the frost cloth but worth it as I'll get use out of it for years to come as it's really good quality material.
Very good setup! I had something similar setup last year but strong winds (and rains) damaged the walls at least 4 times during the winter (Bay Area, 9B).
I had setup a similar C9 setup + Agribon frost cloth for my in-ground Okrung Tong mango, but unfortunately the plant did not survive.
For those who want to use a similar setup, I provide what I have done in the past couple of years:
I have a 10x20 setup for my bananas + in-ground sapodilla that are next to my house on East side. (Unfortunately, the sapodilla did not survive).
I used the Costco 10x20 Car Port -- its a sturdy structure with 1.5 inch vertical poles and (I think) 1 inch horizontal ones -- but there are no horizontal poles at ground level, but you can use cement blocks, planks, etc.. An advantage is that it comes with roof and side wall tarps. But like I said, strong winds bent a couple of 1.5 inch vertical poles! I used 6mm transparent plastic tarp for the gabled roof to let sunlight in -- bad idea! Should have used their tarp and added grow lights -- maybe this year.
For heating that much area, those C9 bulb chains are almost useless (from my 2 years of experience). Instead, you can use a couple of Costco heat dish heaters or even the ones you have (make sure they are protected from rain). Then use a Kasa smart plug -- you can use up to 16 on/off cycles per 24 hrs to turn the heaters on and off. I have noticed that you need more heat from about 3AM to 8AM (that's when the temps drop the most) You can keep the heaters on for 5-10 minutes only every half hour -- that way, you can save on electricity -- setup via app. I have ThermoPro thermometers that transmit data to a smartphone. This setup works very well for a 8x8 greenhouse (two Costco heat dishes + Kasa smart plug). I had consistent above 45 deg F temperatures inside the greenhouse when outside was in 30s. In the 10x20 structure, some parts got a little cooler with winds blowing in -- I had to keep some gap to let wind enter, else the whole structure would have blown off in strong winds.
This year, I dug up my in-ground 1 yr sapodilla, jackfruit, neem and mango seedlings and moved them indoors under grow lights -- not taking any chances!
Thanks for sharing your setup. I'll definitely do a review at the end of winter on what worked/did not. Fortunately, I have some serious windbreak between the 12' ficus hedge and clumping bamboo that faces the front and back of the structure.
Love of the knowledge that you have about tropical
Hi Natasha - As usual, you've constructed a great looking and very practical structure for your tropical trees. I will be curious to see how well it maintains whatever minimal temperature you are wanting at night. I also like the lighting effect of the holiday lights. That should look pretty cool at night. I think the Millennial Gardner uses the same lighting approach. Keep us posted on your nighttime temps. Thanks
Thanks--it does look quite festive! I'm hoping to keep it at or above 40 without having to run the heater. I'll definitely do a follow-up at the end of winter to assess and share any lessons learned.
I suspect you'll find out fairly quickly if your efforts pay off on those especially cold nights. Good Luck!! @@EnlightenmentGarden
I to have made metal frames with EMT pipes. I have made my cold protection tents out of polyester material from the fabric store. I secure the pipes with bolts and nuts. It can get windy in Tucson. I have a bucket of squeeze clamps to hold the fabric to the frame. I have also sewn sleeves into the fabric .. I then push the pipe thru the sleeve during assembly for better holding protection in the wind
Sounds very sturdy with the addition of sleeves and bolts.
Gr8 job… Nice to be proactive! You spent big to get your mangoes set up… looking forward to summer already… Best for the Festive Season… hope Harvey gets someone to carry on his scion work…and keep his place going!
Cheers, John
Thanks, John! It's nice not having to shuffle them into the garage this year. What...Harvey is no longer selling cuttings? Is he retiring and moving?
@@EnlightenmentGarden … I’ll see if I can find the Facebook article
I have my mango and two avocados up against my 1100 gallon rain water tank and hopefully that works.
Many gardeners have reported that the water tank provides several degrees of warmth. If I had room in my structure, I'd try it out but at this point, it's hard to even walk in there with all the plants. Hopefully, our winter does not get too cold and all our plants come into spring unscathed.
Hello, love your channel! I planted my first fig tree last year and want more varieties! Will you be selling any cuttings or plants later this winter? Im in Mesa AZ. Thanks!
Thanks so much! Yes, I'll be selling fig cuttings from my trees (in January most likely), and will announce it here
Cool setup, can you share the name or link the fittings you used to connect the EMT at the corners? Thank you
Thanks! I discussed the structure in more detail when I first stood it up in summer here if interested, "Hot Arizona Summer 2023 | Shade Strategies to Help your Plants". All the product links are in the video description of that video. The corners are 1" F3 flat roof corners from a company called canopies and tarps. It's very easy to put up and take down (if needed) and solid
Cool. How are you protecting your in-ground plants?
My most cold-sensitive in-ground plants are in the structure. Fortunately, I don't have too many outside the structure that would require frost protection and none that should require cold protection. For the young ice cream bean trees and papaya, I'm just going to throw some stakes in the ground and cover the top with frost cloth to prevent frost from settling. There is one Manila mango seedling just outside the structure that I'm intentionally not covering for a test to see how it fairs.
@@EnlightenmentGarden Nice! I appreciate the response.
Such an important video! Thank you! As an aside, I cannot keep avocado trees alive here. Would love to know more about how you do it as yours grow.
Natasha, I'm just curious why you didn't go with an opaque white heavy-duty plastic sheeting that you can get on a roll? I figured it would allow more light in than the tarp or is the goal not to have that much light come in even in the winter?
Hi. The tarp was material I had on hand. The goal with the tarp on the top was just to prevent rainwater from falling on the heater as frost cloth does not repel water. It did not work out with the flat roof structure (and water pooled in the middle) so I've since removed the plastic from the top and left just the frost fabric. To protect the heater, I fashioned a small shelter around the heater. The heater has been working well. My yard hit 28 and it was able to maintain 40 F in the structure.
I actually loved your tarp idea because of the grommet holes in a tarp that you won’t get with heavy duty plastic so I thought maybe that was the reasoning.
I'm sorry it didn't work out for you. Do you think it will work if you adjust the height of your structure on one side and make it either taller or shorter, the water will not puddle and also maybe put more slots in the center overhead?
@@butterflyj685 For sure, a pitched roof would allow the water to run off. The corner fittings I have on the top sides are welded at 90 degrees so I would have to use a different fitting to achieve some slope. It all worked out in the end. I used a little shelter for just the heater and it's kept it dry. And the plants get the benefit of that wonderful rainwater without the tarp. We hit 27 F a few days ago and the heater kept the structure at 40 F (set temp) so I'm really pleased with the biogreen heater/thermostat combo.
Metal frame link pls ?
The connectors are linked in the description. The pipe lengths are 1" emt conduit that you can find at a hardware store. I discussed the structure in more detail when I first stood it up in summer here if interested, "Hot Arizona Summer 2023 | Shade Strategies to Help your Plants". That video has all of the links
Do you have a carob tree in your fruit forest?
No. While there are some self-fertile varieties, most Carob trees are dioecious, meaning you need two trees (one that produces male flowers and one that produces female flowers). For that reason and because they grow slowly but also need a lot of space when they reach maturity, I opted not to grow it given I am in a backyard culture. If I had acreage, I would grow it.
@@EnlightenmentGarden I read that they can give off a terrible oder in the month of November but I don’t know if that is true. Something to do with their pollination cycle.