Cold Damage on Tropical Fruit Trees: Critical Do’s and Don’ts After a Freeze. скачать в хорошем качестве

Cold Damage on Tropical Fruit Trees: Critical Do’s and Don’ts After a Freeze.

DO’s (What Helps Recovery) ✅ 1. Be patient    •   Trees may look dead for weeks    •   New growth often appears 3–6 weeks later    •   Warm nights (above 45°F) trigger recovery ✅ 2. Protect roots    •   Insulate container pots with towels, cardboard, mulch, or blankets    •   Keep pots off cold concrete    •   Roots are the most critical part of survival ✅ 3. Water carefully    •   Water only when soil is dry    •   Cold + wet soil = root rot    •   Light watering is better than deep soaking ✅ 4. Let plants thaw slowly    •   Leave covers on until temperatures rise above 40°F    •   Allow ice to melt naturally    •   Slow thaw reduces cell damage ✅ 5. Watch for new buds    •   Green swelling nodes mean the tree is alive    •   Scratch test later: green = living tissue ⸻ DON’Ts (What Makes Damage Worse) ❌ 1. Don’t prune immediately    •   Dead-looking wood may still be alive    •   Early pruning removes living tissue    •   Wait until warm weather returns and growth starts ❌ 2. Don’t fertilize or stimulate growth    •   Fertilizers, Superthrive, kelp, and growth boosters force stress    •   Wait until consistent warm weather and new growth appear ❌ 3. Don’t spray water on frozen plants    •   Water increases cold injury    •   Spraying only works under very specific orchard conditions    •   For home gardens, it usually causes more damage ❌ 4. Don’t move frozen plants into warmth suddenly    •   Rapid thaw causes internal tissue rupture    •   Let plants warm gradually outdoors ❌ 5. Don’t panic    •   Many tropical trees resprout from older wood    •   Defoliation does not equal death ⸻ What to Expect Next    •   Leaf drop over 1–2 weeks    •   Branch dieback may become visible    •   Sudden new growth once temperatures stabilize    •   Possible late-season re-flowering (especially mango) ⸻ Final Reminder Cold events are part of growing tropical fruit outside the tropics. Even experienced growers lose flowers and leaves during freezes. Survival depends on patience, restraint, and protecting roots. The worst thing you can do after a freeze is too much care.