TUCSON, AZ. (KGUN). — If you have plants in your backyard, you should know how to properly take care of them. KGUN 9 is here to help you understand how they react in cold temperatures.
“We see a lot of drastic temperature changes. It was in the 100’s last week. And now it’s going to freeze, so really thinking about the drastic temperature changes here in the desert is important," said Abby Wing, Co-Owner of Rozet Nursery.
In a frost protection publication from the University of Arizona, it explains that actively growing foliage is very susceptible to frost damage. If a freeze occurs when there has been no prior cold weather to 'harden off' a plant, the damage will be worse. More information about frost protection can be found here.
“You want to give air space so the cold can’t settle. So, you're really working your frost protection so that it has a little space in between so nothing is sitting on top of the leaves," said Wing.
Wing explains that if you have cactus in your backyard, it is important to know how much it can withstand the cold. If it has been in the sun/heat for an extensive period of time, Wing recommends placing styrofoam cups on top or using a frost cloth to protect it from the cold.
With cold temperatures also comes high winds at times. Wing says "winds can stress out plants and make them dry out quicker.”
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Athena Kehoe is a multimedia journalist and producer at KGUN 9. Four years ago, Athena moved to Arizona and has not looked back at the Midwest since. She is a very avid basketball and football fan, so you might hear her getting into the games at local Tucson sports hangouts. She is eager to share stories among the Tucson community and you can reach her at athena.kehoe@kgun9.com or by connecting on X/Twitter or LinkedIn.
