Protecting Plants From Frost – The French Alternative
Many plants are difficult to grow in cold areas because they are sensitive to frost when young. As they grow larger and older these plants become more frost tolerant, so it is important to protect young plants from frost to help them survive their first few winters. At risk now are cold sensitive plants that are planted out in late winter or early spring. Jackie French lives in a cold, frosty area where winter temperatures fall as low as -9 degrees C, but she manages to grow avocados, sapotes, macadamias and other subtropical fruits. Jackie uses plant guards or protective sleeves to create an envelope of warm air around her plants to keep them frost-free all winter. Plant guard products shown in our segment included:
Treeguards – simple sleeves of plastic which you just slip over several stakes placed around the plant.
GroGuard – rigid guards which protect the plant from rabbits and wallabies as well as frost, and reduce watering by up to 80%.
Hydronurture – a plant protection system containing water, which absorbs heat during the day and radiates it out at night. Particularly handy for growing early tomatoes and capsicums.
Bally’s Water Tube – a 600mm plastic cylinder placed around plants and designed to water plants as well as protecting them from frost. It holds 20 litres of water that slowly seeps out via a dripper for over 2 weeks.
Availability
Available from some produce stores, hardware stores, nurseries and water conservation groups or by mail order from: Green Harvest
Maleny, Queensland Freecall (orders only): 1800 681 014
Phone: (07) 5494 4676
Fax: (07) 5494 4674
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: http://www.greenharvest.com.au
For more information on specific products contact: GroGuard Australia Pty Ltd Ottoway, South
Australia
Phone: (08) 8240 4333, 1800 644 259
Facsimile: (08) 8240 4344
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.groguard.com/ Hydronurture
Suntech Technology Pty Ltd
Footscray, Victoria.
Phone: (03) 9687 5996 Bally’s Water Tube
Plant Sitters Pty Ltd, Sydney (trade or general enquires)
Phone: (02) 9956 7768
Website: www.watertube.com.au
To purchase in Qld
Phone: (07) 3374 3826
To purchase or mail order water tubes in southern Australia contact:
Mildura Native Nursery
Phone: (03) 5021 4117
Website: www.nativenursery.com.au
Or
Southeast Water (Oasis on-line shop)
Phone: (03) 9552 3000 or 13 16 94
Website: www.southeastwater.com.au
Prices
Treeguards: pack of 20 – $14.00, pack of 320 – $179
GroGuard: pack of 20 – $45, pack of 100 – $190
Bally’s Water Tube: pack of 3 – $21.95 (or discounts for bulk orders)
Hydronurture: pack of 3 small – $21.00, pack of 2 large $19.00