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Cold Weather Citrus protections
Posted on 1/20/26 at 3:40 pm
Posted on 1/20/26 at 3:40 pm
I have several juvenile citrus trees. We usually just cover with a blanket then trash bag in cold weather.
With the forcast showing multiple hours below freezing, what are yalls go to fo freeze protection?
TIA
With the forcast showing multiple hours below freezing, what are yalls go to fo freeze protection?
TIA
6
Posted on 1/20/26 at 3:50 pm to LSURoss
You need a heat source for young and sensitive trees (lemons, limes, grapefruits, navel oranges). C9 Christmas lights or even better a 250W heat bulb.
Posted on 1/20/26 at 6:29 pm to LSURoss
Zip up covers from Amazon with incandescent cheap Christmas lights underneath. Used this for the snow last year. Didn't drop any leaves.
Posted on 1/21/26 at 6:39 am to LSURoss
I use zip covers from Amazon and a brood lamp from Tractor Supply on mine. When it hit 8-10 degrees in my area last year the trees survived but there was some damage to them.
My wife's meyer lemon tree has gotten too big for the bags. I just ordered a pop up green house to set up over it
. I'd just as soon let the thing die since lemons are cheap but she loves it so here we are.
My wife's meyer lemon tree has gotten too big for the bags. I just ordered a pop up green house to set up over it
. I'd just as soon let the thing die since lemons are cheap but she loves it so here we are. 
Posted on 1/21/26 at 2:56 pm to Loup
Never mind-found them.
This post was edited on 1/21/26 at 3:15 pm
Posted on 1/21/26 at 4:04 pm to LSURoss
I’m about to just pull mine out of the ground, not worth the effort anymore
Posted on 1/23/26 at 4:19 pm to LSURoss
Water them Sunday before it gets cold. Cover around the ground to the drip line with blankets. I then just get a pool noodle from Lowe’s and wrap the base of the tree. Then put a blanket over the top and if you can stake it to the ground covering the tree.
You’re trying to keep the
1. Heat in the ground
2. the heat trapped around the tree all the way to the ground. Just wrapping the foliage is a waste of time
You’re trying to keep the
1. Heat in the ground
2. the heat trapped around the tree all the way to the ground. Just wrapping the foliage is a waste of time
This post was edited on 1/23/26 at 4:20 pm
Posted on 1/24/26 at 1:59 am to lion
I planned on tenting my Meyer lemon. Someone last yr posted they also used a heat tracing cord to keep things warm. I’m assuming you just put that on the ground near the tree and not directly on it?
Posted on 1/24/26 at 10:31 am to TJG210
Not sure how warm that gets. I use the zip up covers and small Christmas light strands. I'm definitely not plugging them in until it gets in the 30s. Can cook the trees for sure.
Posted on 1/24/26 at 11:25 pm to Craft
Clamp light with 60watt bulb inside at bottom.
Posted on 1/25/26 at 1:22 am to TJG210
quote:
I planned on tenting my Meyer lemon. Someone last yr posted they also used a heat tracing cord to keep things warm. I’m assuming you just put that on the ground near the tree and not directly on it?
I put my pipe tape warmers directly on my sensitive palms and it hasnt hurt them and ive yet to lose one that had that plus a tree cover.
You really dont want to use blankets is my understanding because when they get wet it can cause more issues than it solves so I use a permeable frost cover with the pipe tape warmer underneath and attach the cover around the trunk of the tree with bungee cords.
Posted on 1/25/26 at 5:03 am to Craft
quote:You could grow citrus trees in south Louisiana until about 5 years ago, but I’m not sure that’s still possible. My neighbor had mature trees that withstood everything for years until the 2021 freeze KO’d them. Just about every year since then we’ve gotten a bad freeze that would’ve still taken them out.
I’m about to just pull mine out of the ground, not worth the effort anymore
Posted on 1/25/26 at 8:41 am to sledgehammer
I have a new build in NW FL on the coast and am trying all my citrus in pots so I can just move them into the garage when a freeze happens.
The number of times I’ve had to move them in the last couple years is ridiculous.
The number of times I’ve had to move them in the last couple years is ridiculous.
Posted on 1/25/26 at 9:05 am to tide06
That’s pretty smart, but don’t they max out in pots and won’t reach their full potential? I’ve never tried so that’s why I’m asking.
A good friend built some greenhouses, and he’s trying growing citrus trees planting them straight in the ground.
A good friend built some greenhouses, and he’s trying growing citrus trees planting them straight in the ground.
Posted on 1/25/26 at 9:32 am to sledgehammer
I’m sure that’s true I just don’t believe when we’re now averaging multiple hard frosts a year here on 30A that the citrus is viable due to the weather variability even right on the water. I’m fine with reduced output if it means I can have a variety of citrus without worrying that years of work could be wiped out in a night and my kids love it.
But I’ve been following and learning from the thread on this board by tigerlaff who is incredibly knowledgeable and very patient in sharing his wisdom with newbs like me. If you have interest I’d check it out.
But I’ve been following and learning from the thread on this board by tigerlaff who is incredibly knowledgeable and very patient in sharing his wisdom with newbs like me. If you have interest I’d check it out.
Posted on 1/25/26 at 9:40 am to TJG210
quote:It depends on hot how those things get. Incandescent Christmas lights that raise the temp a degree or two degrees make a huge difference, if you’re going that route.
I planned on tenting my Meyer lemon. Someone last yr posted they also used a heat tracing cord to keep things warm. I’m assuming you just put that on the ground near the tree and not directly on it?
I don’t know where you live, but Meyers are a pretty hardy creation compared to most citrus. It’s going to be mid twenties here and my new Meyer was planted last year. I’m just going to throw a frost cloth over it, put a blanket on the ground/around the base, and that’s it. It will take about 2 minutes to do and I’m not worried about it at all.
This post was edited on 1/25/26 at 9:41 am
Posted on 1/25/26 at 2:24 pm to lion
quote:
It depends on hot how those things get. Incandescent Christmas lights that raise the temp a degree or two degrees make a huge difference, if you’re going that route
I’ve used the incandescent C9 (large) lights on palms and I think it really helps.
Using my meat thermometer it seemed to add 3-4 degrees when used with a frost blanket but the pipe wrap warmers work even better as I was seeing it take the temp well past the freezing mark and they automatically turn themselves off when the temp rises which is nice. Can’t recommend those enough at $20 on amazon, but if you already have the C7/C9 lights definitely try it.
Posted on 1/25/26 at 3:54 pm to sledgehammer
I've got one I planted in 2007....it's now about 20' high by 15' across, so too big to cover...i've got C7 lights strung thru it and some halogen clamp lights in the middle....I also pile mulch around the trunk where it enters the ground to about 2 feet high
not sure if any of that helps, but I made it thru the last few years of hard freezes here in BR....only lost one low limb
I had a bumper crop of over 1500 satumas off that one tree about 5 years ago
not sure if any of that helps, but I made it thru the last few years of hard freezes here in BR....only lost one low limb
I had a bumper crop of over 1500 satumas off that one tree about 5 years ago
Posted on 1/25/26 at 7:03 pm to LSURoss
I ordered the zipper bags off of Amazon. That and a bunch of incandescent Christmas lights, preferably the big bulbs. I put a strand in each tree and cover the tree with the bag. They did fine in last year's snowpacolypse.
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