How To Deal With Frost Frost season along the Central Coast has officially arrived. According to officials with the USDA, the "date of concern" comes on or around October 15th. It will last until on or around March 15th. The worst nights to worry about are going to be still, clear and cold. As frost can be deadly to citrus, avocado and subtropicals, I wanted to introduce you to an awesome solution I came across called Bonide "Wilt Stop."
Wilt Stop is sold in pints, quarts, and gallons. It also comes in an easy to apply Qt. "ready to use" hose-end sprayer too. There is a similar product called "Cloud Cover." While it can also be of help, it is a chemical compound and needs to be re-applied every four weeks or so. Although both products are labeled as non-toxic, Cloud Cover can't make the "natural and organic" claim that Wilt Stop can.
While fans, heaters and frost fabric protect against frost, there is a new product that can help. Its called Wilt Stop. In my opinion it is the absolute best frost and wind protection on the market!. It's made of pine resin, a natural and organic substance. Best of all, Wilt Stop needs to only be applied once a season. It need only be re-applied whenever there is new growth.
If you have any citrus, avocado or sub-tropical plants in your garden, now is the time to apply. Wilt Stop works best when applied during bright sunny days and slightly warmer weather. It's always best to apply it well in advance of any anticipated frost. Given where we live, the danger of frost will exist forever. It should not
prevent you from planting frost tender plants. They are just too beautiful to pass up. Even more important, solutions to prevent the effects of frost exist. Your local nursery stands ready to advise. FROST PROTECTION Here are some tips on how to protect your plants in case of a freeze, even a light one, and preserve your beautiful and valuable landscape. WATER Well watered plants fare better than dry ones during a frost. Water plumps up the plant's cells protecting them, plus moist soil retains more heat than dry soil. FERTILIZER Use Master Bloom monthly beginning in September to 'harden