A cold front is moving in and temperatures in Southern California could dip into the 30s this week. That’s cold for us, but how cold is it for your outdoor plants and trees?
It’s not just California’s little resilient succulents people have hanging out on their patios or perched in their yards; L.A. residents enjoy a wide range of gardening options — everything from orange trees to the common snake plant.
Here’s our guide to protecting your little green pals.
Tuck in small plants and herbs
Ella Christian owns Tansy, a vibrant plant store in Burbank, and she says your plants will need a little extra comfort — not just from you, but from each other. When plants huddle together, they can form a microclimate.
“We recommend that if you have smaller potted plants, you think about bringing them inside or at least into a covered patio area where the heat won’t just kind of disappear,” Christian said. “So if you put a bunch of them together, they will stay warm.”
For plants in the ground, Christian says you can place cardboard boxes with ventilation holes over them or use tarps or plastic garbage bags to protect them from frost.
Melody Dowlat, general manager of Moon Valley Nurseries in North Hollywood, plucks off a grapefruit and shares it with reporter Jackie Orchard.
Common watering myth
Christian said to keep an eye on how much you’re watering your plants during bouts…
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