Normal lows are in the 40's. but last winter brought on extreme temperatures with highs in the 30's and record lows in the teens. This weather is too much for Tucson's heat resistant, drought tolerate plants! In Tucson, the average first frost occurs on November 24th. To help avoid frost and freeze damage this winter there are some important steps to take:

• Keep your plants well watered. Frost will draw moisture from your plants leaves; well watered plants will experience less severe damage if they are not already dehydrated.
• Maintain an regulated irrigation schedule to manage plants moisture levels
• There are many products that calm to help protect plants from frost damage – be leery of these!
• Reduce heat loss
• Completely cover plants with cloth or paper (not plastic!) from the top all the way to the bottom for insulation. Do not allow openings for heat to escape. This will protect down to temperatures in the 20's and 30's. Do not gather the draped cloth around the truck of the tree. Your plant is collecting heat from the soil and if it is gathered on the truck the warm air rising from the soil will not reach the fragile leaves.
  
• Remove the coverings in the morning when temperatures are around 50 degrees.
• Wrap the trucks of young trees to prevent damage to young, vital stem areas. This wrap can be left on all winter.
• Add Heat
• Walls and benches collect heat during the day and are good sources of heat at night
• 100w light builds can provide heat to coverage plants. Hang them below the foliage, away from trunks and branches that are susceptible to burning.
• Apply a trickle of running water to the ground at the base of the tree. When water is cooled energy in the form of heat is released.

By taking these steps you can avoid dealing with frost damaged plants in spring time that are unsightly and may need to be completely removed. In the event your plants are damaged by winter frost, you can call Sonoran Gardens in the Spring to cut them back and determine if any were lost by our chilly winter nights. It is not just your plants that are fragile to the cold, you should also use preventive measures to avoid damage to your pipes and backflow preventer.

In temperate climates, such as ours pipes are often installed outside, exposed to the elements. When temperatures are flirting with freezing it is important that these pipes are insulated. Through the appropriate utilization of foam, insulation tape, and "insulation blankets" your pipes can be kept warm all winter long. Sonoran Gardens has the materials and expertise to properly insulate your exterior pipes for the season.