No, Not Really - Winter Plant Protection

This is the first in my series of No, Not Really.

As in many areas of most any hobby or discipline for which one is not a trained and educated expert (as if such exists), we have all been exposed to wives' tales, anecdotal solutions, myths and other forms of unsubstantiated information.

And, then we have the media and of course the advertisers and manufacturers who will weave a false web if it will take hold and capture enough readers or customers. Then there is social media, through which the wind blows loosely and carelessly, regardless of the source.

If something seems to work, but we are not quite certain, or if we hear something enough times from those close to us or those who we think are in the know or should be, then it becomes gospel. And, it's hard to let go of such, particularly after we have a told a dozen or more people and we now feel we own it. Most of us enjoy trying to help one another.

I believe you get my gist, so let's move on.
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I need to wrap my plants during winter - No, not really. Well, perhaps.

Note: For the sake of this topic, I am speaking of ornamental plants, not common edible vegetable and fruit plants.

Hopefully, you, the developer of your property or the previous owner chose plants which are hardy for this area. Here, in the Midlands of South Carolina, we are in Zone 8a, perhaps some in 8b. Simply think of Zone 8 as many listings for plants don't mention the sub-zones.

However; we do love our plants, even those which weren't meant for this area and I hope they don't end up in the ground, but in pots, unless they are annuals.

Potted Plants

Note: Unglazed ceramic pots, such as those made of terracotta are porous and allow for the movement of air and water (moisture) through the side of the pot. If you tend to overwater or have plants with less water requirements, these are good choices. Glazed and plastic pots (More and more are available with truly authentic and attractive faux glaze and are much lighter than glazed pots.) do not provide much air and moisture exchange through their sides so they are great for moisture loving plants and those owners who don't water enough. 

The only warmth potted plants receive is from the surrounding air, sunlight and ambient temperature, so it is best to move plants that are not winter-hardy to a shed, garage, indoors or a greenhouse. Continue moderate watering if they aren't dormant. However; if able, you can cover the pot and plant with a plastic material (not touching the foliage if possible) such as a dark-color home trash bag or contractor trash bag. If the plant needs to remain covered during the daylight hours, the dark color will help retain more heat from the sunlight, if exposed to it.

The key is to ensure the cover is secured to the ground (sod staples work great) and any gaps are covered with mulch, such as straw. If not, all your efforts are lost because the cover is to take advantage of the heat of the earth. If not, you may be protecting the foliage and any buds or blooms from the wind, but not so much for the roots and stems if the heat is escaping. It may be slight, but it is what your in-ground plants are receiving. Fortunately, the ground in this area, rarely, if ever freezes. Right now the ground temperature is around 48 degrees - far from freezing.

Burlap (Why used so much - I do not know.) has a loose weave and doesn't retain much heat, if any. Someone's grandfather did this when burlap may have been the only thing available.

Evergreen Trees and Shrubs

Evergreens are still metabolizing, but at a lower rate, still producing some heat. They are also sending moisture to their foliage, so they can be dried out by winds. However, if they've made it this far along they probably don't need any protection. You aren't going to go out there and cover that 12 foot camellia, anyway.

A newly planted tree or shrub may benefit from some protection.

Deciduous Trees and Shrubs

Well, if they are meant to thrive in this area, they are already protecting themselves by shedding their foliage. They have gone dormant and are not metabolizing. Therefore, there is no heat to retain.

Warning!

With in-ground plants, if you believe you have a dead branch (not broken - that's obvious), don't go pruning it in the dead-of-winter unless you know how to prune. If you make an improper cut, you could end up with new unwanted growth during a warm spell, then we receive a freeze and you may have more foliage or branch death. Let it go until later.

An Exception

I know I am going to get blasted by many because they have instances where they did something and something did or didn't happen. There are almost always exceptions and then there are anecdotal claims such as Epsom salt is a good fertilizer. Many, many people use it on their plants because someone or many, many someones said to do so. More later, in another No, Not Really.

Sago Palms

Sago palms are not actually palms. They are among cycads, a plant which has been around since prehistoric times. The sago is cycas revoluta. It has leaves instead of fronds, as it is not a palm.

Although I have done some research on this topic, I could not find all the whys, whens, wheres and what ifs.

Sago palms will tend to turn a bronze color after the leaves have been damaged during temperatures below 32 degrees. I have no idea of how far below freezing or for how long. I have simply covered them with black plastic contractor bags and not secured the cover to the ground for both potted and in-ground plants. This did prevent most of the leaves from turning bronze. All my sagos were male so I don't know what this means for the female (fruit producing) sagos, for which the seeds can be very toxic. Female - go figure.

These are simply my assertions for my situation in locations around here. Who knows how things may differ with a sago in Charleston, along with the salt air and coastal winds. I do not know.

I have not covered them and enjoyed the bronze leaves for weeks.

One thing I can firmly say, is do not cut off the damaged leaves until after the last freeze. Not doing so aids the plant's health overall in recovering and can help protect the young shoots. I only cut back the damaged leaves after new shoots have emerged and unfurled completely.