HEADS UP Central Florida ... FREEZE WARNING ..We are early!

Looks like our first freeze of the season in the Bay Area ....

I didn't want anyone getting blindsided by the 10PM News & having to run out to cover plants in their pajamas ...

...FREEZE WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 1 AM TO 9 AM EST TUESDAY...

...FREEZE WATCH IN EFFECT FROM LATE TUESDAY NIGHT THROUGH
WEDNESDAY MORNING...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TAMPA BAY RUSKIN HAS ISSUED A
FREEZE WARNING...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM 1 AM TO 9 AM EST
TUESDAY. A FREEZE WATCH HAS ALSO BEEN ISSUED. THIS FREEZE WATCH
IS IN EFFECT FROM LATE TUESDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY MORNING.
THE FREEZE WATCH IS NO LONGER IN EFFECT.

COLD AIR WILL CONTINUE TO ADVECT INTO THE REGION THROUGH THE NEXT
COUPLE OF DAYS AS A STRONG HIGH PRESSURE SYSTEM PUSHES SOUTH.
TEMPERATURES ARE EXPECTED TO DROP BELOW FREEZING FOR SEVERAL
HOURS TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY MORNINGS. COLD AIR ADVECTION WILL
BEGIN TO SHUT OFF BY WEDNESDAY BUT CLEAR SKIES AND WEAKER WINDS
WILL ALLOW FOR PLENTY OF RADIATIONAL COOLING.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A FREEZE WATCH IS ISSUED FOR THE POTENTIAL OF A WIDESPREAD AND
DAMAGING FREEZE WITHIN 24 TO 48 HOURS. DURING THE FREEZE
PERIOD...TEMPERATURES MAY REMAIN BELOW 32 DEGREES FOR MORE THAN
8 HOURS IN COLDER INLAND AREAS MAINLY NORTH OF TAMPA.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A FREEZE WARNING IS ISSUED FOR 3 OR MORE HOURS OF TEMPERATURES
BETWEEN 27 AND 32 OVER A WIDESPREAD AREA.

RESIDENTS SHOULD COVER OR MOVE INDOORS ANY COLD SENSITIVE
PLANTS...AND BRING PETS INDOORS THIS EVENING.

A FREEZE WATCH IS ISSUED FOR THE POTENTIAL OF A WIDESPREAD AND
DAMAGING FREEZE WITHIN 24 TO 48 HOURS. DURING THE FREEZE
PERIOD...TEMPERATURES MAY REMAIN BELOW 32 DEGREES FOR MORE THAN
8 HOURS.

acara wrote:...WILL CONTINUE TO ADVECT INTO THE REGION

Thanks for my new word for the day! I guess my weather doesn't advect 'cause my weatherman never uses that word!

How to do you go about protecting your plants?

ad·vec·tion (d-vkshn)
n.
1. The transfer of a property of the atmosphere, such as heat, cold, or humidity, by the horizontal movement of an air mass: Today's temperatures were higher due to the advection of warm air into the region.
2. The rate of change of an atmospheric property caused by the horizontal movement of air.
3. The horizontal movement of water, as in an ocean current

boffer wrote:
How do you go about protecting your plants?

Really sensitve stuff (orchids & such) went South for the Winter with mom & dad over Thanksgiving weekend.

Sensitive potted stuff comes into the garage (on a "mild" freeze like this one, keeping them out of the wind is generally enough).

SFG box trellis has top caps on the 1" PVC pipe & I have pre-made T-bar "toppers" that allow me to drape pre-made Burlap covers over the box (I have threaded eye hooks, for attachment points, pre-installed on my boxes when I make them). I can also add plastic over the burlap (so the plastic doesn't make contact with the plants).


T-Bars;




Attachment hooks;


On the trellis frames;




And you can see the box attachment points (eye screws) in this pic;





For the "really cold" nights, I also have a detachable swing arm pedestal that I put a Catalytic Heater on, inside the box. I get 12+ hours out of a single 16 hour cylinder.

Normally though the covers, and running the drip irrigation overnight, is enough.

that IS early, Acara -- I think '89 was the last time it was THAT cold, that early. (happy memories there - my first Christmas as a new wife, 16F in the back yard, and NO HEAT, with both sides of the family coming for dinner. Nope, no stress there!)

My other pals in Tampa have said that their Christmas decorations this year are sheets and blankets with the Christmas lights underneath.

Stay warm!

Yep ... I'm still supposed to be another 30 days out on my first frost date.

No biggie though ..... I planned ahead when I built the boxes & cannabalized a lot of ideas/threads from the "hoop-houses" & techniques I saw from my Northern friends on this forum

boffer wrote:
Thanks for my new word for the day! I guess my weather doesn't advect 'cause my weatherman never uses that word!

It's the difference between a frost and a killing freeze -- that's all you need to know. For Florida, it's really bad news! See this thread also: http://squarefoot.creatingforum.com/upper-south-f8/what-is-a-hard-killing-frost-t4511.htm#35980

pattipan

Bleh ..... meant to say "get 12 hours out of a 16-oz propane cylinder"

Brrrr. We are having a hard freeze here, too. I need to get my garlic and onions into the ground tomorrow. I LOVE seeing how people are going down swinging, though!

Work didn't cooperate & I got out late & couldn't get everything covered-in-place before dark.

Hope mama isn't too upset with the new "houseplants"

SFG's are all covered though.... catalytic heaters running on the 4 x 4 & heat lamps runnning on the 1 x 8.

Only 41 here atm ....would be surprised if it really reaches 30, like the weatherman says .... but better safe than sorry

Hit 34 this morning, but the wind had it feeling like in the 20's.

Left everything all snuggled up for tonight & its supposed to warm up into the weekend.

It was kinda funny this morning seeing the temporary "houseplants" perk-up, after spending the night in 68 degree indoor enviroment. Tomatoes are definately warm-weather-lovers.

Wow, Acara, I'm totally impressed with your framework and blanket system. How many degrees difference would that make without drip irrigation and no heat lamps? Or with heat lamps but no irrigation?

If that were my set-up I'd have a hard time not stringing wire between the T's to use as a solar clothes dryer.

would you believe, ander, that you have to be careful hanging your clothes out in Florida? The sun is so strong it can fade things in the space of an afternoon (filed under 'Stuff I never would have thought about')

ander217 wrote:Wow, Acara, I'm totally impressed with your framework and blanket system. How many degrees difference would that make without drip irrigation and no heat lamps? Or with heat lamps but no irrigation?

If that were my set-up I'd have a hard time not stringing wire between the T's to use as a solar clothes dryer.

Thanks.

The water makes a huge difference .... there is typically a 30-degree delta between the water temp and the air when it gets cold like this (as long as the water is continuous/moving).

The heat lamps keep the "tent" warmer inside by about 15 degrees from what I can tell (I have a remote sensing thermometer/alarm that I stick inside the "tent" & keep the console next to my bed).

So the water keeps the box/soil warm and the lights/lamps keep the stuff above the ground warm.

It's probably overkill for tomatoes (losing a $3.00 transplant & having to make a trip to the nursery is a lot different than losing a semi-rare Orchid that took you 8 years, or a heirloom Bonsai thats as old/older than u are), but I had the stuff from my other sensitive plants (before my parents moved closer to me& I didn't have the "Southern storage option).... so I didn't have to re-invent the wheel or anything. I can't claim credit for the ideas/techniques.....I'm just mimicing what I saw my dad do when I was younger & modifying what he did with todays "technology".

I have to say its a lot easier than stringing canvas/burlap around a 20x10x40 Orchid house & running out every two hours during the night & checking thermometers and refilling kerosene heaters, like when I was a kid.

The biggest difference I can see in Central Florida is theat the wind seems to "burn" the plants much worse than it did in South Florida. I've always had to deal with a couple 28-32 nights every winter, but I've had stuff frost burn up here at 35 due to the wind.

ander217 wrote:If that were my set-up I'd have a hard time not stringing wire between the T's to use as a solar clothes dryer.

LOL .... HOA police would get you in my neighborhood ..... can't line-dry clothes (visibly) in most deed-restricted/HOA communities these days.