Another North Florida winter is here! With that comes a new plants from leafy greens to snapdragons. It also means the inevitable freeze is on the way. It is prudent for all gardeners to review what needs to be done to protect your non-freeze hardy plants.
Hardiness Zones
Before we get into what actions you may need to take, let’s examine plant hardiness zones. These are geographic areas created by the US Department of Agriculture defined by their average extreme minimal temperature. In the Panhandle these are zones 8b through 9b. In winter we will likely see low temps between 15 – 30 degrees depending on your zone. Sourcing plants appropriate for your zone can mitigate quite a bit of cold damage in your landscape. If you like plants susceptible to the cold, you can interplant them to add a little protection.
Microclimates
Find and utilize your yard’s microclimates. Areas under larger trees are likely to remain warmer in the winter. This is also true behind a windbreak, or near a structure with high sun exposure. Look around your yard and plant any cold sensitive plants in these areas.
This area is likely to have multiple microclimates. UF/IFAS Photo
Full Season Plant Care
Cold protection begins with warm season plant care. Pay close attention to the irrigation and fertilization needs of your landscape plants. Apply these properly to ensure stress free plants moving into the colder months as these will perform better as the mercury begins to drop.
Imminent Freeze Actions
Ok, now that everything is planned, we know our microclimates, and we’ve cared for our landscape through the year let’s see what can be done when a freeze is imminent.
Water the morning prior to a freeze event. Wet soils retain warmth better than dry. That heat will be re-radiated through the freezing night keeping your plant slightly warmer. Adding some mulch will aid this effort. Watering again the next day will break any ice formed in the soil. Keep in mind that prolonged saturation could be detrimental to root systems. Scout your plants regularly after using this strategy to ensure plant health.
Protect potted plants by bringing them indoors. Those that are too big to move should be padded with extra mulch, and clustered together when possible. Make sure to move them back in place when the warmth returns.
For those trees with graft points (i.e. Citrus), tree wraps may be used as protection. If you don’t have these, pile mulch around the base of the tree to insulate the graft. The idea here being that even if the branches above the graft succumb to the cold, the tree can rebranch above the graft thus keeping the desired fruit of that tree.
Finally, cover your plants. Covers are more useful for frost than freezing temps but are better than direct exposure to cold air. Keep these off the plant’s foliage while ensuring they reach all the way to the ground. Think ghosts over lollipops. Taking them to the ground will capture any heat radiated out of the soil overnight. The addition of lights underneath the cover can help keep that area a little warmer. Be very cautious when doing this as too much heat under the cover could be dangerous.
Plants covered above the foliage, and to the ground. UF/IFAS Photo
You may see some nurseries apply irrigation via sprinklers through the freeze as protection. While this method does work, it requires some specialty equipment. Additionally, you’ll need to apply the water prior to the freeze setting in and continue until the temps return. It not a practical solution for homeowners.
Once the cold passes, keep an eye on your plants. Wait until you see new growth before pruning damaged plant tissue. If in doubt you can slightly scrape the bark. If the cambium beneath the scrape is green, it is still alive.
For more information on cold protection or any other horticultural topic contact you local UF/IFAS Extension office.
- Cold Protection for North Florida - November 6, 2025
- Planning and Planting for Wildlife - October 10, 2025
- Why Say No to Invasive Species - August 23, 2025