Re: winter damage/zones
Thanks for the reply Connie--It is common for the us to have frost depths of
more than 2 feet and much more in some years. That is well below the depth
of the roots of many varieties. Why don't the plants die?
Hank Zumach
Stoddard, WI
zone 4
----- Original Message -----
From: connie hoy <coneh@USWEST.NET>
To: <shadegardens@MAELSTROM.STJOHNS.EDU>
Sent: Sunday, January 16, 2000 4:29 PM
Subject: Re: [SG] winter damage/zones
> Hank,
> here in this area(zone 5/6 high desert ) freeze and thaws with no snow
cover are commonplace,moreso in the last few yrs.
> El Nino now La Nina have kept us much too warm but with periodic heavy
freezes..Since we deal with this frequently here can tell you the biggest
threat is HEAVING which of course causes root damage and potential death
.Mulching to keep soil temps more even is very helpful if not imperative for
some plantings.
> Older well established (trees,shrubs etc.) deep rooters are not so subject
to this sort of harm..But shallow rooted perennials,bulbs can be (I
frequently find tulip bulbs on the surface after a winter of heaving forced
them up)..
>
> However since you have been experiencing this for several years and you
have not sustained any long term damage I would say just keep doing what
your doing..Living in these conditions now for over 10yrs I can honestly say
if the plants are truly hardy and the ones requiring mulch were,I have not
noticed any more damage here than where I lived up north where snow cover
is the rule....
> As to your question about -10verses-20temps and why it should make a
difference since frozen is frozen ,well my take on it is it has everything
to do with the <depth>of freezing in the soil.The longer/colder the temps
the deeper the freeze.The roots being the life line to the plant if they
freeze out goodby plant..Hence we cant winter over exposed container
plants..There is heat coming from well below the surface which helps
moderate the soil temps as well, add snow cover and your (hardy)plants are
pretty safe.Its a fascinating subject which I too still ponder,my
explaination's crude but I hope fairly accurate. I have
> many zone 7 plants which survive due I'm sure to placement
(foundations,etc)and the fact that the soil doesnt freeze that deeply
there..
>
> Upper growth of shrubs etc.that would have been protected via snow cover
can and do suffer dissecation,freeze burn but dont generally die,spring
pruning of the areas of damage tends to be the only measure required..Last
thought,mulching also discourages premature growth ,due to abnormally high
winter temps,many plants that are coaxed(their spring growth is tied to
temperatures rather than light lengths) into this false 'Spring'can be
harmed but sadly nothing I know to do about it beyond mulching..
> Interesting note every year the Apricot trees come into bloom shortly
following our first real warm weather in the day time(nites fall below
freezing almost nightly for many weeks in the Spring)..Depending on how the
weather goes it can completely wipe out all the blossoms =no fruit..I have
used sprinklers,etc.but the best one I ever heard was a man who bought huge
blocks of ice which he placed all around the root zone..Short of the story
:He had Apricots while no one else did in his area..Lot of hassle but goes
to show what you can conjure up if you have the where with all..Hope this
helped you some.
> Connie
>
> Hank Zumach wrote:
>
> > <<<< So my next question is: At what point can I expect damage on the
general plant population from all these unusual freeze/thaw cycles?
> >
> > Hank Zumach
> > Stoddard, WI
> > zone 4
>
