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MKIVRYAN
Joined: 07 Dec 2010 Posts: 154 Location: Phoenix/Scottsdale
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Posted: Sun Jan 13, 2013 8:55 pm Post subject: |
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So far everthing I was able to cover has pulled thru fine. I bought a 250' roll of the 10 degree frost cloth a month or so ago hoping I would not need it. Glad I did as I have every foot in use. They said it was good for about a jump of 10 degrees but I doubted that. But even plants that is covered with this and no heat source have no damage yet. Still have at least 2 nights to go. |
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phoenixtropicals Site Admin
Joined: 06 May 2008 Posts: 1207 Location: Mesa Arizona
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Posted: Sun Jan 13, 2013 10:27 pm Post subject: |
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My impression is that frost cloth is really only true to its temperature rating when it is laying on the ground on top of a short fruit or vegetable, like strawberries or something like that. If you drape it over a tree its a different situation. This is why I started using plastic in combination. Sometimes I wonder just how much good adding lights does. I would intuitively think that if you enclosed a 75 watt bulb inside of a small plastic enclosure that it would almost get oven like. Apparently my intuition doesn't understand the importance of radiation heat transfer.
Glad to hear that buying a big spool of frost cloth worked out for you.
Keep in mind though that some plants take a long time to show damage. I have found that mangoes for instance will look good for at least a couple of days even if totally hammered. On the other hand, guavas show damage almost immediately. |
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Amadioranch
Joined: 07 Jan 2012 Posts: 88
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Posted: Mon Jan 14, 2013 7:10 am Post subject: |
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Lights and heat absolutely DO make a HUGE difference! Take it from me out here in iglooland! lol The problem you are running into is that you lack and effective insulating capacity to keep the heat in. Thats why ive been advocating blankets, not frost cloth. And layers of materials to build up effective insulation.
I can keep my frost structures a few degrees above freezing even with it being 15 degress with only a single strand of christmas lights. I think in total thats only about 75 watts of heat. But im insulating very well to get that. |
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MKIVRYAN
Joined: 07 Dec 2010 Posts: 154 Location: Phoenix/Scottsdale
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Posted: Mon Jan 14, 2013 8:29 am Post subject: |
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Where do you get your blankets? Is there a reasonably priced solution to blankets? They seem expensive for how many plants we have. |
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cobrajet_carl
Joined: 25 Mar 2012 Posts: 3
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Posted: Mon Jan 14, 2013 11:24 am Post subject: |
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Well, I'm wiped out. Frost cloth, heat lamps and still all of my tropicals are history. I'm near 101/Ray and had a low of 19F Saturday, 17F Sunday and 17F today. The heat lamps may have saved the trunks on the guavas and white sapotes but probably not the mangos. Interestingly enough, a seedling sapodilla that I planted after the 2007 freeze doesn't even appear to be damaged! It's about 8 years old but only about 4ft high and wide and planted next to the house under the eaves. It replaced a mango tree in the same spot that was killed outright in the 2007 freeze.
Three hard freezes in the last 6 years is hard to fathom. Every one of these was supposedly a "50 year" freeze....... |
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phoenixtropicals Site Admin
Joined: 06 May 2008 Posts: 1207 Location: Mesa Arizona
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Posted: Mon Jan 14, 2013 3:23 pm Post subject: |
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Yah, I hear you, this weather is frustrating. |
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Amadioranch
Joined: 07 Jan 2012 Posts: 88
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Posted: Mon Jan 14, 2013 7:25 pm Post subject: |
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My condolences Carl. This is brutal. |
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Amadioranch
Joined: 07 Jan 2012 Posts: 88
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Posted: Mon Jan 14, 2013 7:27 pm Post subject: |
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MKIVRYAN, we pick up our blankets used at thrift stores like goodwill and salvation arm. |
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