Notes from Clemson Extension: Cold weather affects everything – including plants | Culture | Our Gazette

Notes from Clemson Extension: Cold weather affects everything – including plants

Published Wednesday, January 27, 2010 10:04 AM

By Mark Arena and Amy Dabbs
The Gazette

Cold weather has set in and is taking its toll on all of us, including the plants in our landscapes.

The three main issues for plants exposed to cold weather are how quickly the temperatures drops, the duration of the cold, and how low temperatures ultimately get. All three contribute to the degree of plant damage incurred.

In the Lowcountry, all three factors have come together to truly test plants living in the great outdoors.

Water occupies every cell in plant tissues; as the temperature changes so does the physical nature of the water in the cells. Once the temperature reaches the point of freezing, the water that is in each cell starts expanding. As the water expands, it puts pressure on the cell membranes. If the freezing water in the cell stretches too far, the cell ruptures and creates damage. This can have a catastrophic effect on the plant.

Soil also contains water that freezes as temperatures drop. Unfortunately, plants have no special adaptation that allows them to pull frozen water from the ground. The result is that the plant may succumb to dehydration and death.

So, even in the midst of the cold winter, plants require adequate moisture levels to survive.

Plants are unique and have their own strategies to cope with the cold. Besides water, plants are also taking up oxygen and minerals from the soil. This mixture of soluble compounds acts as a natural “antifreeze” allowing plants to survive harsh weather.

Unfortunately, plants vary in their content of this natural antifreeze and can’t always beat the cold.

To protect plants that are susceptible to cold damage, gardeners can provide added protection by covering them with cloth (not plastic), keeping soils moist, placing lights that produce even minimal heat nearby, or moving them to a protected area when possible. Also, as tempting as it may be, try not to walk on the lawn when it’s frozen … that crunching noise beneath your feet is a warning signal to stay off the turf!

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