In the NE tundra region of Wisconsin, preserving our landscape is important for proper up-keep on our properties to ensure they can look their best in the Spring!
Step 2: Outdoor Plants
At this time in the year, if you hadn’t already, make sure to bring in any outdoor plants or flowers to protect them from any frost. When temperatures are freezing, ice builds on a plant’s cells, which initially starts in the form of frost. Once ice is built on a plant’s cells, it will eventually kill the tissue and damage them.
According to the Farmer’s Almanac, here are some quick guidelines on the different freezing temperatures and how they affect plants:
- Light freeze: 29° to 32°F (-1.7° to 0°C)—tender plants are killed.
- Moderate freeze: 25° to 28°F (-3.9° to -2.2°C)—widely destructive to most
vegetation. - Severe freeze: 24°F (-4.4°C) and colder—heavy damage to most garden
plants.
Another option is to temporarily cover them with an insulated cover during the light freezing temperatures, and then bring them inside later on once the freezing increases to moderate and severe.
Preserving Landscape for the Winter – Step #1
Preserving Landscape for the Winter – Step #3