Key Technical Points for Flower Frost Protection and Post-Frost Care

Flower frost protection techniques are carried out in the following aspects:

I. Frost Protection Measures for Greening Nurseries

1. Carry out soil surface mulching to protect the root system.

That is, spread rice husks, sawdust, compost or rice chaff (ash) on the nursery ground or under the trees.

2. Plastic film covering, with straw curtains added at night.

Flowers and seedlings in greenhouses and polytunnels can be covered with small low tunnels.

3. Smoke heating.

Smoke materials use dead branches and fallen leaves, sawdust, weeds or garbage, etc. Burn 4-6 smoke piles per mu, using 30-50 kg of firewood and grass per pile, especially at low temperatures in the evening.

4. Pay attention to drainage in the field to prevent the ground from freezing.

II. Frost Protection Techniques for Large Trees

In many places in our city, tropical tree species such as Canary Island date palm (Phoenix canariensis) have been introduced. These trees have poor cold tolerance, and the following measures can be taken for frost protection:

1. Tie the leaves tightly and wrap them with dry grass.

That is, first tie the leaves together with rope, then wrap them with breathable materials such as wheat straw, dry grass, burlap or straw mats. It must be noted here that plastic film must never be used to wrap the plant directly, because this kind of material provides "close-fitting protection" that is not breathable. After sunlight during the day, water vapor evaporates inside the film, raising temperature and humidity, while at night it condenses and freezes. With this repeated day and night cycle, the central point of the tree body will be frost-damaged and rot.

2. Mound soil at the base of the tree to protect the root crown area.

3. Ground covering.

Spread sawdust, compost, plant ash, rice husks, etc. on the ground around the tree body to prevent the ground from freezing and damaging the root system.

4. With the trunk as the center, build a plastic windbreak cover no smaller than 1 sq m, and open a ventilation opening on the leeward side.

III. Frost Protection and Poor-Condition Care for Indoor Potted Flowers

With the improvement of people's living standards, growing flowers indoors at home has become very common, especially placing some high-grade potted flowers indoors, such as bromeliads, Phalaenopsis orchids, Cymbidium orchids, Anthurium, etc. These potted flowers have poor cold resistance and require room temperature to remain above 10 degrees. Other potted flowers such as Clivia, Calathea, Rohdea japonica, Aloe, etc. require room temperature above 5 degrees. Therefore, frost protection and care for indoor potted flowers is mainly carried out from the following aspects:

1. Place the potted flowers in places with relatively higher indoor temperatures, such as air-conditioned rooms, heated rooms, etc., but note that potted flowers must not face the air-conditioner vent directly.

2. Do not water too much.

Because winter temperatures are low, evaporation is small, and when there is too much water the root system cannot breathe well, which can lead to root rot and death. In addition, potted flowers should be watered after the soil has dried through, around midday; do not water in the morning or evening. Tap water should be stored for 1-2 days, and it is best to water with warm water. In addition, warm water can be used to wash the leaves to increase humidity.

3. Control fertilization.

Because at low temperatures most flowers enter dormancy or semi-dormancy, with slow metabolism and poor absorption capacity, their fertilizer requirement is extremely small. Fertilizer and water should be strictly controlled, and fertilization should be stopped.

4. Indoors, plastic film can be used to cover the potted flowers, or they can be wrapped with cotton or dry grass, and a small basin of clean water placed inside the cover.

5. Expose them to more sunlight.

IV. Care for Flowers and Trees After Frost

1. Remove accumulated snow and secure damaged branches.

2. Tidy the crown and promptly deal with broken branches to protect the wounds.

For branches that have been torn, bind them with rope and supports, apply wax to the split, and then wrap them well with plastic film. For completely broken branches, saw them off and smooth them as early as possible, apply a protectant, and wrap with black film. Several preparation methods for protectants: yellow mud slurry plus fresh cow dung, 250 grams of vaseline plus 5 grams of carbendazim, or lime-tung oil slurry, etc.

3. After spring, pay attention to drainage, intertillage and loosening of the soil, and fertilization to promote recovery.

4. Strengthen pest and disease control. After frost, the tree body's leaves are damaged and its resistance is reduced.