How to protect your plants and crops from frigid Valley temperatures
Along with citrus crops, plants around your home can also fall victim to the frost.
FRESNO COUNTY, Calif. (KFSN) -- If you woke up to frost across your lawn or ice on your windshield, you weren't alone.
The cold temperatures aren't easing up just yet, as another night of freezing temperatures is in store for Monday night.
Crops and Plants do well with temperatures in the 40s, but when the temperatures dip into the low 30s and even the 20s.
That's when you need to give those plants and crops some extra care.
"We become much more concerned when it becomes 29, 28 for six hours in duration or more because that's where you start causing damage to potential citrus or vegetables," said Ryan Jacobsen, CEO of the Fresno County Farm Bureau.
On the Valley floor, temperatures are expected to hover around 30 degrees.
Even the slightest shift in temperatures can have an impact on crops.
"1, 2, 3 degrees difference can be a substantial difference when it comes to whether you need to worry about damage or not," explained Jacobsen.
Along with citrus crops, plants around your home can also fall victim to the frost, but the experts at Belmont Nursery in Fresno have just the solution to keep your plants thriving.
"You're going to want to get some frostcloth. It's almost like a blanket for your plants," said August Guinn with the Belmont Nursery.
The frost cloth will help temperatures adjust a couple of degrees from the outside and from the inside to help protect your plant.
"What you're going to want to do is get a couple of stakes so that way it's not touching the leaves; if you don't have the stakes, that's okay," added Guinn.
Fast forward to the finished product.
The goal is to trap the warm air underneath the freeze cloth. The type of cloth you use does make a difference.
"If you use plastic, it's a very rigid, very uncompromising material that can't have that ebb and flow that you would want," said Guinn.
There is a silver lining that comes with the frigid temperatures, as short spurts of cold temperatures will help some crops thrive.
"We actually need a certain number of hours for peaches, plums, nectarines, and grapevines under 45 degrees Fahrenheit. So, all this is doing is helping to keep those plants in their dormant state and not come out too early," added Guinn.
Another tip to warm your plants is to use small lights like Christmas tree lights, so you may not want to store those decorations away just yet.
For news updates, follow Nico Payne on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
