Thats a good idea about the christmas lights. Remember to use the regular ones, not the new LEDs

There is supposed to be a rain shower either tonight or tomorrow .morning,, but then, be even colder.
Has anyone left the coverings on during the rain?
I am thinking I might, because I am busy and I have a lot covered, so its an effort. to remove.

If the covers are moist and then frozen tomorrow, will that make the plants any more sucseptib

Thanks!

I'd think the frozen covers would act as an even better shield, that's why the citrus growers spray their trees with water.

I should have used a light bulb last night... didn't even think of it. Rats!

High winds blew off my frost covers last night, exposing my citrus trees. At least my young avocado trees had C7 Christmas lights around them.

Turned out they were LED lights. So,back to the garage and some rooting,and I found some OLD socket and cord for working on cars..missing the cover that lets you hang it. So,I used that and a 75 watt bulb under the Mango. Worked like a charm.
Soft leafed plants all were frozen tips though. Brug's- Banana's. At least they are the fastest to grow back. Think positive, Think warm!

I have a home-made greenhouse that I moved my succulents into a couple of weeks ago. We are using a fruit dehydrator to warm it at the same time as drying persimmon chips. May dry bananas next. :) Min

I have my sack of old mini lights ready to hang tomorrow, supposed to be cold again. Bet the neighbors will wonder what I was thinking decorating my orchard trees.

Too bad some are just too far from the house to reach with cords

Sunday morning was supposed to the coldest yet..and I had a 37f. I still took precautions,it just makes me wonder if Monday will be as cold as also predicted?

It't's 32 here in Vacaville right now. Smaller Meyers and the blood orange under a nifty pop up freeze protectio tent that came with stakes, and was 20 percent off at a sale I stumbled on at Pacific Hardware. I didn't put the stakes in at first, and one tent almost landed in the pool. I have 5 or 6 self watering earthboxes with greens, alliums, and peas under eves on my deck. So far they seem to be surviving freezes for the last five nights! Sugar snap seedlings covers were blown off the first night but pulled through, and now I have them secured. Just when I went all out with a fall/winter garden.

Is it technically even winter yet?

It' is 32 here in Vacaville right now. Smaller Meyers and the blood orange under a nifty pop up freeze protectio tent that came with stakes, and was 20 percent off at a sale I stumbled on at Pacific Hardware. I didn't put the stakes in at first, and one tent almost landed in the pool. I have 5 or 6 self watering earthboxes with greens, alliums, and peas under eves on my deck. So far they seem to be surviving freezes for the last five nights! Sugar snap seedlings covers were blown off the first night but pulled through, and now I have them secured. Just when I went all out with a fall/winter garden.

Is it technically even winter yet?

Here in San Francisco, west twin peaks area,my birdbath has frozen over, not that any bird would be taking a bath , i hope my sub tropical plants make it and some orchids in my unheated greenhouse , greenhouse only has some passive heating, but I hope the other plants I moved it there will keep each other warm, if this cold continues I need to dig out the Christmas lights

SSFOG...a Cheap spotlight fixture and bulb will do fine. This time of year, Christmas lights though seems to fit in better...

stanofh, thanks for the idea

I know the C-9 lights and Christmas lights idea is always used. But for us and a few nights? Just go to Grand Auto or even K Mart and buy those auto spotlights and bulb of your choice. I used a 75 watt bulb..the usual 150 watters I worried might over heat foliage. So for those who want to know more details..a 75 watt bulb under a 3 wide x 3 tall' Mango worked out fine. Extrapolate for larger plants,more plants, etc.

I've tried 75 watt spotlights last year and the C7 Christmas lights this year, and my experience is that my 2 avocado trees were so heavily frost damaged last year with 2 nights reaching 26 degrees that I removed them and replanted with new trees last spring. This week we've had 2 nights of 27 degrees, and the young trees show very little signs of cold stress (other than a few scorched leaves where the bulbs touched them). If it gets cold enough, the Christmas lights seem to work better.

I should mention,I covered the Mango with plastic AND put the bulb right under it's small dripline on the ground. Heat rises so I figure that was the best place to put it.

Avocados like Mexicola and Hass should take 26 with protection. But if the C7 lights worked- great.

I use a variety of methods for frost protection, bubble wrap on some pots, cloud cover, grow lights in my hot house , keep plants well watered, etc etc. I see plants that come from seeds are all down, hydrangas have lost all their leaves but my lemon trees came through pretty well. Down the road from me a man uses old patio umbrellas and plastic in his garden. Hopefully this will end with a nice rainfall. It was down to 18 at the Napa airport one night. BRRRRRRR.

I like the Christmas tree lights idea. My banana trees are too far for power to reach. What about covering with wool blankets? They are brown now from that 30 degree night we had last week, but in case it happens again maybe it would be too much for them. Anyone had any luck with blankets?
My loquats might need some protection, they're in bloom. Brrrrr is right!

You might pick up a 100' orange extension cord at Home Depot. That should reach the far yard. But,yes blankets work fine too. As always,there MUST be a gap between the blanket and the foliage (use stakes,sticks,old poles,etc)..or the cold goes right to the leaves.

We used to put mini lights in the bib of our overalls while we worked in the warehouse decorating trees and wreaths,etc. for Disneyland's holiday season. I have done the same thing while standing pruning the plants or potting up. I think there are even heated flannel shirts that run on the battery that powers a cordless drill now.