| Frost Damaged Plants
The appearance of wilting leaves, and leaves that have a water
logged look can be a sign that your plant is suffering from frost damage.
Another sign of frost damaged
plants can be the appearance of brown patches on the
leaves.
And yet another sign is when the shoot tips on your plants start to die
back.
If the flowers on the plant don't open fully or they become discolored and then start
to die off, then these are also signs that frost damage might have occurred.
There is no treatment for frost damage other than to remove the damaged
portions of the plant in an effort to make it look a little healthier. Provided the damage hasn't been too severe
you might not lose the plant.
Sometimes frost damage is not noticeable for a few days after a
frost has occurred and this is particularly so if the frost was a very light one.
The best way to protect against frost damage, or to reduce the
effect that frost might have on your garden is to choose the best plants for your climate conditions.
If you are living in an area that is susceptible to frosts then your best course of
action is to choose plants that are frost-tolerant.
By planting in areas that are exposed or where frosts occur
more frequently you will increase the chances of losing plants to frosts so it is wise to plant in sheltered spots
or areas other than where there are frost pockets.
You can offer some protection to your plants by wrapping them
in Hessian cloth or frost cloth until after the period of frost has passed.
There will be times in such climates where it is not possible
to know when there will be a frost and these out of season frosts can kill a whole plant.
Editor
Peter Charalambos
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