Some frits are waking up

Jane McGary janemcgary@earthlink.net
Mon, 02 Mar 2009 11:48:21 PST
Rodger asked
>On 1 Mar 2009, at 11:26, Jane McGary wrote:
>
> > I'm very pleased that the measures I went to to protect the plants in
> > December, when the temperature dropped to 14 F (minus 10 C) were 
> effective.
>
>Would you be so kind as to repeat what those measures were?

I laid sheets of microfoam insulation (a product obtained from 
nursery suppliers, it is white closed-cell foam with a white plastic 
backing -- you put the plastic facing up, to ward off drips) directly 
on top of the plants and pots inside the frame, weighed it down a 
bit, closed the frames, and nailed pieces of wood siding over the 
vents most exposed to the east wind. The snow then coated the frame 
lights, giving an extra layer of insulation. There was still a lot of 
snow on the lights when the temperature rose into the mid-20s F/c. 
minus 5 C, and I knocked the snow off (up to my knees in it) and 
removed the microfoam. I worry about leaving it on too long and 
promoting rot if things start to thaw under it.

The main damage seems to have been to aroids, but I think they 
probably will recover next year.

Jane Mcgary
Northwestern Oregon, USA


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