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 About Frost Damage
Frost damage usually shows the
morning after the event. In a light frost leaves will show light mottling of
green colors on the leaf surfaces later turning brown and or black. More
moderate frost/freeze damage will be more extensive to the leaves as they
will be brown or black and hanging on stems looking like bats. Stem damage
may begin to show anywhere from one (1) to twenty one days dependent on
weather conditions. Damage will show first as soft stem tips. Many tips may
have brownish fluid being released by the plant (frozen latex). More serious
damage usually shows when you squeeze stems you will feel a separation
inside from the collapsed frozen pith. Frost damage IS NOT BLACK TIP!! Some
internal plant damage may not be visible to the grower at all but manifest
itself in the form of branch die-back or even complete loss of the plant
What and what not to do:
We do not remove leaves until the frost
event is past because the leaves will help insulate the plant from future
freeze events. If the leaves are too unsightly for you. CUT; do not pull off
the leaves. Leave about a 1/2 to one inch stub. These will later fall off.
Never just pull the leaves off a plumeria at anytime as you are making entry
areas for pathogen intrusion.
Later as damaged tips begin to show you may
want to remove tips or branches to pure white wood on a 45 degree slant. Do
this with a very sharp pair of pruners or knife. Good garden practices
should be followed during this procedure. Sterilize tools between cuts with
Alcohol or Hydrogen Peroxide. Seal all branches that are cut with an
appropriate material to prevent intrusion of pathogens. The following is a
list of some common materials for sealing pruned/cut branches;
Lime
Paste, Tree Branch Sealer, Latex Shower Caulk, Latex Caulking.
When
using latex products a suggestion is to mix a small amount of fungicide
Physan 20 (or equal), a dry Sulfur Powder or Copper Fungicide. This a
precaution for preventing pathogen infection.
Plumeria planted in the
ground should not be watered or fertilized by spreading granular type
fertilizer on the soil around the damaged plants. The normal precipitation
well have supplied adequate moisture for in ground plantings. Plumeria in
containers or pots should be watered sparingly, do not allow the plants to
completely dry out as they will be vulnerable in a future frost or freeze.
Potted as well as in ground plants can be treated with granular systemic
fungicide apply as per package directions to help prevent pathogen growth.
In addition, you could choose to foliar apply a liquid systemic fungicide,
spray all remaining leaves, inflos dead or alive and stems to the base of
the plant. If
fungicide directions permit add one table spoon to a gallon of
mix, Liquinox Start. It has the appropriate nutrients help the stressed
plumeria.
In severe freeze events some plants may be a total loss. This is a good time
to reflect on the positive of growing plumeria and what rewards they have
given you and those around you. There are sound Horticulture answers to
prevent or minimize future losses to your plumeria. All Is not lost! We
encourage educating yourself on Horticulture and Plumeria by reading through
our many articles on this Plumeria Website. We will always promise to share
our over thirty seven years of experience and knowledge with you. "Our
Success is Your Success". Remember to check this article frequently as I am
answering many growers questions the original article did not cover. We hope
this material is useful for you now and in future winters.
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