We haven’t had many hard freezes in the past few years but delicate sub-tropicals i.e. bougainvillea, gardenia, mandevillea, hibiscus etc……………..need some help even in mild winters.

• Spray these plants in early December with Wilt-pruf or Cloud Cover anti-desiccants to help them survive the winter cold.

• If there is a warning out for a hard freeze cover plants with an old sheet or ground cloth (never plastic!)
  supporting cloth off of the foliage. Putting a lamp or light (turned on) below the cloth adds heat to help in a freeze.

• Move potted sub-tropicals under an overhang on a warm wall (south or west facing).

• When planting these plants try to locate them below an eave on a warm wall so that even in winter the wall will warm in the day and retain some heat at night.

• Avoid pruning back frost damaged areas of plants until way after the last freeze to allow plants additional coverage from old foliage and to see where new sprouts will appear.