I thinking of using Christmas lights on some of my citrus trees for cold protection. How many of what kind are most of you using. I'll use a PVC frame and wrap it with clear plastic first. I will soil bank too.

I use the C9 lights. This year I will also use some outdoor heat mats to increase the protection.


You should cover with frost cloth and then plastic. Make sure both the frost cloth and plastic touch the ground. For really severe freezes you are going to need huge number of C9 lights to protect large citrus plants. Small plants are much easier to protect because the volume of air under the covers is much smaller. For 1000 cubic feet you will need at least 200 C9 lights possibly much more depending on the outside air temperature.

Most all of mine will be around 100 cu feet. 4' x 4' x 6' tall. What is the benefit of the frost cloth? Is it for insulation or to keep the plant from touching the plastic? My lows should be no lower than +15F and realistically may not make it too +19F.

You must be protecting huge trees. 1000 cu feet = 10' x 10' x 10'.

Darkman,last winter I was practicing to use this method .I used housewrap and 1/2''electrical pipe.Work good at nighttime but too hot inside in the day time.Citrus began to grow and I lost few citrus trees.I am thinking that by day time need take off cover.I can't do this,because I am working by day.This winter I will not to use cover for my citrus.

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I covered mine with a variety on materials, but I remove the cover when the front has passed. It does get warm inside the cover during the day--probably as high as the 80s with some of my brown tarps, but as long as the warm temps only last a few days it will not cause new growth.

I also use techniques that Joe posted a few yrs ago--buckets of water under the covers and I bank with bags of cheap composted cow manure. Two bags placed on either side of the trunk will protect pretty large trees and can be removed easily--I usually empty them around the tree in the spring.

Thanks for the replies.

The bags of composted manure are number one on my protection list and will probably work well except on my meyer lemons which branch too low. For those I will most likely use a soil bank. Many of my trees being satsumas will handle a normal Winter ok. For the less tolerant I think I'll ue the tomato cages with some type of covering. The thermostats mentioned seem to be an economical solution too. I found them for $17.95 if you get three or more. They plug into your extension cord and have two outlets to carry 1600 watts. Temps are pre-set and unadjustable. On at 35* and off at 45*. As cristofre mentioned one possible solution to overheating may be greenhouse vents that automatically open and close. Victor that could help you.

I have some huge citrus plants some 15 feet tall and too large to cover but can be protected with a soil bank. The smaller plants under 12 feet can easily be covered. It is wise to keep some reserve citrus plants to possibly replace those that may freeze.


Setting up the frame to hold the covers is the easy part. Getting the cover over the frame and plant is much more difficult. It can be really hard in strong wind conditions.

Growing citrus in colder climates has some advantages; ASP cannot survive hard winters to transmit citrus greening in the growing season. The downside is that freezes may damage your citrus plants.

TRI,

You should be using the micro sprinklers.