Cover them up as long as you don't have a lot. I lost a couple Japanese maples last year due to an unexpected freeze. I had a few Picea's that also broke bud and they lost all new growth for the season. I assume they are still alive since they are still green... but won't know until they break bud any day now. It sucks though because now I'll have to train a new leader.

yeah.. the old bed sheet trick ... can trap enough ground heat to MAYBE offset such..

the only real problem with the sheets .. is how not to break the very tender leader .... and i never figured that out..

of course.. the smaller it is.. the easier the job ...

ken

It sucks, but make tents with sheets for everything pushing new growth that is small enough to cover. Use stakes and close pins to keep the sheets from touching the new foliage. You want insulating airspace between the plant and the sheet.

My yard looked like it was full of Halloween ghosts last year.

Drive a stake next to the main leader. Leave about 6-12 inches taller then leader height.

Drape sheet down and around plant. Wrap with twine and close pins to secure ends or openings. Bricks to hold to ground if wind is present. Do it mid afternoon so as to trap warmth of the day.

Same principal as garen suggests.

Saved many of them.

Dave

This post was edited by Davesconifers on Thu, Apr 18, 13 at 6:08

Is ther any tolerance to just below temps? Is 32 enough to wipe out growth or does it take 28 or 25 etc? The forecast is now for 30. Is that cold enough to damage?

What it's calling for isn't the problem... it's what it will actually be. Last year when I got an unexpected freeze... temps were forecasted for around 32-33... but ended up around 20.

Its not just about the temps but the moisture content and the winds.

If its 30 and windy you're likely not going to have issues.

I had a few spruce break bud early last year and only a few new growth shoots died back. Can't recall if previous year growth set new buds.

I had 10+ days below freezing in April after that record warm March. Only lost Larch last year. Lowest temp hit mid 20s a few times after bud break.

I have to echo whaas' results. Last year's cold snap only hurt Picea mariorika 'Machala'. Picea abies, glauca & pungens were all fine.

tj

Good article on properly using sheets over plants in early spring.

Here is a link that might be useful: Sheet article.

My lessons learned from last year is that if you are going to have the sheet touch the plant, the moisture bleeds through the fabric and freezes on the plant anyhow. If this happens, let it defrost.

Also plants are much more resilant than expected. Out of all the species I have Larch and JM where problematic. Those are actually suffered death or dieback. The rest set new buds or didn't have damage.

Its crazy that you have spruce budding out. Forsythia is not even blooming here yet. Than you get mags, then you get some trees, then you get some spruce.

It's just been a roller coaster this spring. We have hit 80 a couple of times then today it doesn't even hit 45. All plants are having a hard time deciding what to do. I still have many oaks with no leaves at all yet. I think I'm going to risk it tonight. It's very windy from the north and lows are expected at about 30 still. There really isn't much if any extension yet, just swollen buds or just breaking.