You'll be able to tell when your garden is suffering after a cold snap. Leaves will curl, drop, or change color — usually from a green to a white, yellow, black, or brown. Here's what to do to try to maximize recovery for your outdoor plants.
I did some research and found out that houseplants need to be taken indoors before overnight temperatures dip below 45 degrees. Most tropical plants suffer harm from temperatures below 40 degrees.
Low Temperatures: The signs of cold damage can be confusing, since some damage may not be evident until months later. Leaves and tender shoots subjected to freezing temperatures or chilling damage appear water-soaked and wilted. These tissues will usually turn black within a few hours or days.
When Should You Cover Plants? Cover your plants at night and remove them during the day when the temperatures rise above 32 degrees F, so that the soil can warm up again. Some outdoor plants won't survive the harsh conditions of winter, bring them inside and use these tips for caring for them through winter.
While the damage to the leaves is permanent, plants are pretty resilient. If the leaves are severely damaged, they will die and fall off. New leaves should take their place. It may take several weeks or months to see full recovery, but given warmth, proper light and water, most plants bounce right back.
With plants suited for your hardiness zone, you don't have to worry about them dying from getting too cold, Plants hardy in southern zones have less tolerance; some of them start to show signs of cold shock even at 50 degrees (F). It can be a problem even when it damages only part of a plant.
To know when to cover your plants, you need to know when the plants you have are susceptible to frost damage. Some frost-tender plants need to be covered as soon as the temperature hits 32°F, while others can handle lower temperatures and/or longer freezing periods.
If you're wondering at what temperature threshold you should be bringing your plants, there's a short answer: when nighttime temperatures reach 45 degrees (F), it's time to bring your plants indoors.
Like all living things, houseplants have specific temperature requirements. In order for them to survive and thrive, these must be met. Most plants prefer a temperature of no less than 60° F, though many can tolerate as low as 40° F.
Most tropical plants such as ferns, palms, spider plants, pothos, and philodendrons love cold nights between 60 to 65 degrees. However, they cannot tolerate chilly nights going below 50 degrees. Anything lower than that results in stunted growth and, ultimately, demise.
The telltale signs of shock are yellowing or brown wilted leaves that droop drastically.
Choose days when no snow is on the ground and the soil isn't frozen. In cold weather, water should be trickled slowly into the soil. Water only when air temperatures are above 40 degrees F.
A covered porch usually provides protection from light frost, but the garage or sun room is better for freezing temperatures. A couple days in darkness won't hurt the plant. Or move them out during the day and back in at night, if cold temperatures persist.
With reduced sunlight and dry air from indoor heating, winter isn't a time when your plants will thrive, but, with the right care, they can certainly survive.
People feel comfortable in the range of 72 degrees F-82 degrees F, and interior plants can tolerate and grow well in the 58 degrees F-86 degrees F range because most indoor plants originate from tropical and subtropical areas of the world.
It should be noted that some house plants are more vulnerable to cold damage than others and when the thermometer dips – they can suffer. Some of those more sensitive to cold temperatures: Orchids (Phaleanopsis sp.), Mandevilla, Bougainvillea, Oriental Hibiscus, and Poinsettia.
Temperature. Most plants, like people, are comfortable in daytime temperatures between roughly 65-75 degrees Fahrenheit, and nighttime temps above 50 degrees Fahrenheit. To provide that for your plants, keep them away from both cold drafts and sources of heat, like radiators, ovens, fireplaces, and electronic devices.
Check the water needs of plants after a freeze. Water that is still in the soil may be frozen and unavailable to the roots and plants can dry out. To make sure a plant is getting its needed water, apply water to thaw the soil and the ice.
It's important to pay attention to the temperature dropping when the sun goes down. Once temperatures are consistently between 60 and 45 degrees Fahrenheit, it's a good idea to start bringing your plants inside at night. However, you can keep them out during the daylight hours if the temperature stays above 45 degrees.
Semi-hardy cool-season crops (beets, carrots, Swiss chard, lettuce, cauliflower, potatoes, parsley) grow in minimum daytime temperatures of 40 degrees and higher. They cannot withstand hard frost without some kind of covering or protection.
Use a frost blanket, cloche or row cover material – not plastic — to insulate the ground around your outdoor plants and keep them warm. Prop the cover with sticks or stakes to keep it from coming into direct contact with the new growth. And, make sure to remove the cover the next morning after the temperature warms up.
Cover Plants – Protect plants from all but the hardest freeze (28°F for five hours) by covering them with sheets, towels, blankets, cardboard or a tarp. You can also invert baskets, coolers or any container with a solid bottom over plants. Cover plants before dark to trap warmer air.
From that experience, I've found the best frost protection for your outdoor plants is either free or cheap. Cardboard boxes and brown grocery sacks make perfect frost cover and at the end of the season can be recycled. I keep various boxes on the patio and when frost is forecast simply put one over the plant.
It's safe to move your plants outside when the outdoor temperatures stay consistently above 50°F. Pay attention to the weather report. If nighttime temperatures are set to fall below 50°F, bring your plants in for the night. Bring them back outside when temperatures rise.