RADIO TRANSCRIPT
March 13, 2023
Taylor Campbell

This is Taylor Campbell, Horticulture Extension Agent with North Carolina Cooperative Extension Burke Center. Today’s program is on protecting plants from cold damage. There are two main types of cold damage. Freeze damage occurs when the water inside a plant cell freezes and causes damage to the vascular system. Freeze damage is often irreversible. Frost damage occurs when a layer of frost covers the stomata, or pores, of the plant and interrupts natural cycles like photosynthesis. Frost damage can often be remedied. While we have been fortunate to experience some warmer temperatures the past few weeks, a mid-March freeze is likely. Freezing temperatures can be harmful to certain plants, especially tender perennials, annual herbaceous plants, and flowering plants with young buds. Symptoms of cold damage include leaf scorch, dying leaves, cracks in the stem or trunk, and plant death. If you’ve already planted your garden and the forecast catches you by surprise, there are some steps you can take to mitigate freeze or frost damage. Because water releases heat as it converts to ice, spray your plants with water so that when freezing temperatures hit, plants will warm up and be protected. The most common strategy is to cover young and tender plants with a sheet or shower curtain to trap heat and prevent moisture from accumulating.

If your plants do experience damage, prune off any dead or dying tissue and wait it out. The plant may still recover. Preventative measures are key, though, so it is best to address the problem before it starts.

This has been Taylor Campbell, horticulture extension agent with North Carolina Cooperative Extension Burke Center. For more information, contact us at 764-9480.