Helpful Guide for Protecting Your Plants in Winter in Arizona
It may not happen often, but as soon as hear a meteorologist in Phoenix, Arizona state a front warning— it’s crucial to consider protecting your plants from the cold. Frost is plants worst enemy.
If you’re unsure which types of plants need extra protection, how to protect your plants from frostbite, and the materials to use to protect your plants — we’ve got you covered. Use this guide to learn how to protect your plants during winter in Arizona!
What Desert Plants Do You Need to Protect During Winter?
Any plants that retain moisture in their leaves need to be protected from cold and freezing weather. If you can bend a branch, that means it elasticity and still alive, for now. When hard frost (below 32°F), the bitter cold freezes the water in the limbs and leaves and if not protected can do damage, even up to killing the plant.
Plants that carry lots of water, like the following, have an increased frost risk:
Cactus: Mexican Fence Post, Argentine Giant, Prickly Pear, etc.
Tropical Plants: Hibiscus, Ficus Trees, Tropical Palms, Segoe Palms,
Pigmy Palms, Torch Glow Bougainvillea, Lantana, etc.Succulents: Agaves, Aloes, etc.
Tips for Caring for Your Arizona Plants in Winter
When caring for your desert plants during winter, keep the following tips in mind:
Tropical Plants & Succulents
Tropical plants, like hibiscus, need to retain moisture and trap warmth from the air. This effect is similar to a greenhouse. To achieve this, you can lay a sheet over tropical plants and succulents, water around the plant, which acts as a “humidifier”, it traps the surrounding moisture, protecting the plant from major frost damage.
For this technique to work, important you moisten the ground around the plants every afternoon and be careful not over drown the plant. Another method you can use for tropical plants is to purchase a frost cloth from your local hardware store. It works the same as a wet sheet but eliminates the hassle of damping it. A third option is wrapping with holiday lights, the warmth from the lights creates warmth……..HOA bylaws may prohibit how long you are allowed to keep them up.
Cactus
Native cacti are relatively immune to frost — but the ones that flower are are more sensitive. Don’t forget to cover cactus tips, for once damaged they will not produce flowers off those damaged tips. A quick and cheap option is Styrofoam cups, this keeps the frost off the tips an on the outside surface of the cup.
Citrus Trees
Citrus trees are popularly seen around Phoenix, Arizona but aren’t well-suited for extreme cold temperatures. The best option is moist air blown on the trees at night to try and keep the air temperature up. If that’s not an option, a large cloth thrown over top and watering under the tree (just like with plants) is most likely your best option.
General Tips
No matter what type of plant you have, here are some general tips for avoiding frostbite during the winter:
Lights. If you want to keep your plants warm at night, positioning lights, such as spotlights or lanterns, around your plants can help them avoid frostbite.
Mulch. Want to help your plants retain extra humidity? If so, placing some mulch around the base of the plants is the perfect way to create a humid environment. It also helps you get a head start on fertilizing in the spring!
My Plant Is Frostbitten. Now What?
Plants that are still alive have bendable branches and retain some of their leaves. If you bend a branch and it snaps, the section of the plant or tree is most likely dead. For cacti, you’ll have to examine the color— cacti lose all their green coloring, turn brown or tan, or begin to scab, like human skin, when they’re dead.
Unfortunately, once a plant is frostbitten, it dies, and there isn’t much you can do to bring it back. You’ll have to remove the plant and replace it with an alternative. As you’re thinking through a replacement for your frostbitten plant, it's wise to choose a desert tree or plant that’s frost-resistant and native to Arizona, like Palo Verde, Texas Sage, Mesquite, Barrel Cacti, and Prickly Pear.
Should I Prune My Plants During Winter?
If there’s slight damage to the outside of your plant during the cold weather, you may think removing the dead, decaying leaves, twigs, and branches is the perfect solution.
However, pruning is the worst thing you can do to your plants in the winter. The dead leaves and twigs protect the under section of the plant (especially the root ball) of your plant from damage from the cold weather. When should I remove the dead portions?
When the temperatures start to warm up and you see new grown under the dead portion, this is a good time remove those dead sections and allow the sun to help it bounce back.
Choose the Right Plants for Your Arizona Landscape with Wildflower Desert Design
Whether you’re looking for frost-resistant plants to replace your dead trees, or you’d like to position your tropical plants, cacti, or succulents to be protected from the wind or positioned to soak up the sun — our team at Wildflower Desert Design can help.
We specialize in backyard design for homes in Arizona, so we can look at the orientation of your house and backyard to lay out plants in the proper spots to help avoid frostbite in the future. Schedule your free consultation to get started!