FROSTS

Articles In This Section:

· WHY ROSES FAIL

· AIR POCKETS

· DEEP PLANTING

· MANURING AT PLANTING TIME

· DRY ROOTS

· EXCESSIVE ACIDITY OR ALKALINITY

· INADEQUATE DRAINAGE

· ROSE-SICK SOIL

· EXCESSIVE MANURING

· FROSTS

· SHADE

· PROXIMITY OF LARGE PLANTS

· HEAVY PRUNING

· ARTESIAN WATER

Heavy frosts, particularly if late in the spring, can be very harmful. Young plants are sometimes killed, and in established plants immature wood and the whole crop of buds for the spring blooming can be destroyed. They become semi-transparent and then wither, blacken, and fall. Early pruning forces early growth and so increases the danger of frost injury. The loss of young growth represents the loss of great quantities of plant energy and stored plant foods. Frost injury is always worst in dry seasons. It can be lessened by prophylactic measures in the form of maintenance of soil moisture, keeping the surface-soil loose or mulching with organic matter, such as straw, compost, cow manure, or horse manure. Deficiency of potash in previously applied manures will predispose plants to frost injury.

Sunburn is most apt to occur in hot, dry inland areas. It is discussed in Chapter XVIIL