California Freezing.

Diamond Enthusiast

Posted

Its been under 32 F for a week of nights now, the lowest so far is 21 F - cold enough to freeze the koi ponds with a little over 1/2 inch of ice.

I note that my grapefruit, orange and one of the lemon trees is "drooping" at the leaves - does this mean I have or will lose those leaves or should I expect the trees to go once the leaves die?

My calla lilies have turned a deep greenish brown and when they thawed out day before yesterday the leave kind of fell over. Are these gone for good?

My Cannas went a step further and "liquefied" on the insides and "sloshed" over.

Even my oleanders are "wilting" or drooping.

Is there a way to know in general if you have lost a tree or plant or do I just have to wait until it completely turns brown?

I know I have lost some plants and I know that I will have my work cut out for me, I'm just trying to gauge is we need to hire for a big clean up or if I can manage myself.

Posts: 3896 | Location: Leaving land, heading for the ocean | Registered: 06-03-02

Elexina

Diamond Enthusiast

Posted

I don't know much about fruit trees, but I heard the Governator saying on CNN this morning that some orchards anticipate losses of 50-75% of their trees. I can't imagine how awful that's going to be...

Posts: 4497 | Location: Rochester, NY, USA | Registered: 06-03-02

Ignored post by Elexina posted

doñadiana

Gold
Enthusiast

Posted

Grapefruit, sweet orange, lemon are hardy to freezing in that order, grapefruit being the hardiest.

Mature citrus may survive temperatures as low as 20F and possibly lower if it is for a short time.

Lemons are sensitive to 29-30F.

How long the temperature stay down and how often low temperatures occur is also a factor Leaves may freeze and fall off, but tree will recover. If the sap freezes branch;es may rupture, which usually kills them. If the trunk ruptures, the tree may die. Do not trim cold-damaged trees until new growth pinpoints dead wood.

Oleander: Damaged by cold below 20F, severely at 10F. They recover rapidly in spring.

Source: Plants for Dry Climates, HPBooks

My mother always had either cana or calla (can't remember which) lilies back in Iowa and Iowa freezes for months every winter, so at least one, and hopefully both, types should survive.

I think you will just have to wait until spring to see how much damage is done.

DD

Posts: 1033 | Location: The River | Registered: 07-04-02

Ignored post by doñadiana posted

Diamond Enthusiast

Posted

quote:
Originally posted by Elexina:
I don't know much about fruit trees, but I heard the Governator saying on CNN this morning that some orchards anticipate losses of 50-75% of their trees. I can't imagine how awful that's going to be...

Yeah I heard that too. Might be what prompted my landlord to come over and ask if we needed to hire to have things removed.

Posts: 3896 | Location: Leaving land, heading for the ocean | Registered: 06-03-02

Ignored post by DvdGStwrt posted

Diamond Enthusiast

Posted

quote:
Originally posted by doñadiana:
Grapefruit, sweet orange, lemon are hardy to freezing in that order, grapefruit being the hardiest.

Mature citrus may survive temperatures as low as 20F and possibly lower if it is for a short time.

Lemons are sensitive to 29-30F.

How long the temperature stay down and how often low temperatures occur is also a factor Leaves may freeze and fall off, but tree will recover. If the sap freezes branch;es may rupture, which usually kills them. If the trunk ruptures, the tree may die. Do not trim cold-damaged trees until new growth pinpoints dead wood.

Oleander: Damaged by cold below 20F, severely at 10F. They recover rapidly in spring.

Source: Plants for Dry Climates, HPBooks

My mother always had either cana or calla (can't remember which) lilies back in Iowa and Iowa freezes for months every winter, so at least one, and hopefully both, types should survive.

I think you will just have to wait until spring to see how much damage is done.

DD

Hm well looks like we might lose one or two. In winter the sun is low behind pines to the south so the grapefruit and orange are in near perpetual shade. The hose in that yard was frozen to the breaking point (my bad I missed one out of 12).

I guess it will be wait and see.

Posts: 3896 | Location: Leaving land, heading for the ocean | Registered: 06-03-02

Ignored post by DvdGStwrt posted

dodgecity

Bronze Enthusiast
Picture of dodgecity

Posted

there pretty hardy you should thow a tarp or a cover of some over them so they dont freeze so hard or get some fire pots and light them.
all plants need to be covered for hard winters

Posts: 451 | Location: fresno ca | Registered: 04-08-03

Ignored post by dodgecity posted

Diamond Enthusiast

Posted

If I threw a tarp over everything around here that is fussy about frost I would need two acres of tent - you got that handy???

LOL Too late to fix with a tarp, I ended up telling the landlord to wait a while then we will hire some folk to come in and take away that which dies.

He wasn't "satisfied" with my answer.

Posts: 3896 | Location: Leaving land, heading for the ocean | Registered: 06-03-02

Ignored post by DvdGStwrt posted