Beating the snow and the silly temps ?

Forum rules
This area is for Reference and discussion of plant hardiness, overwintering methods and tips, and planr protection.
Post Reply
User avatar
Dave Brown
Site Admin
Posts: 19742
Joined: Sun Jul 09, 2006 10:17 am
Location: Chalk, (Thames Estuary) Kent, England 51.5N 0.3E
Contact:

Beating the snow and the silly temps ?

Post by Dave Brown »

Last December saw silly temperatures where radiation frosts occurred over snow fields. You may think that what you get, is what you get, but that is not entirely true. There are several things you can do in short term that could improve your plant's survival chances.

Temporary solution is not to allow a snowfield to develop. A snow scoop, shovel, or my Snow Hoe are the tools required. Also you may get the help of kids in this as they love being out in falling snow, even my 20 and 22 year olds and friends shed 15 years in age in the snow :lol: :lol:

In the last freeze we were out clearing and mounding snow as it fell. This is easier work than doing it after it stops snowing, but you may need to do it a couple of times. The idea is to create snow free areas which allows the ground to radiate it's heat into the air around the plants above. The by product is mounds of snow which will need careful siting as will remain for a while. This is also ideal for snowmen :lol: :lol:

You need to be careful of removing the snow from smaller more tender plants as the snow protects them from the colder air above. Also don't remove from mulched areas to protect rhizomes and tubers etc. Removing snow from tarmac and concrete areas works best as any sun will heat it like a storage radiator, giving off heat overnight, but also works without direct sun Next, I removed the snow from as much of the grass/graveled areas. I cleared the hammerhead roadway outside my property in the last lot of snow, and the road stayed above freezing even though we had Ice days remaining as low as -1.1C. Also the areas adjacent to those cleared thawed much quicker, about 6/8days quicker in the the last freeze, than where no clearing had taken place.

There is bound to be a lot of debate over whether removal of snow is a good idea but the larger, more expensive plants may just hang on as a result.

I have been led to believe that a radiation frost without snow may result in -6C or so, but the same conditions above a snowfield could give -15 to -20C, so there appears to be a lot at stake :ahhh!:

I don't think clearing the small areas we can affect will completely stop the silly temps, as the surrounding areas will still be very cold, but the fact that a thaw set in much earlier suggests we may reduce the levels somewhat, maybe by 3 or 4C, and reduce the number of days you get those temps :wink:

Snow hoe in use 20th Dec
2010-12-20 21-15-14 Snow hoe .jpg
Thick snow being cleared 3rd Dec
2010-12-03 16-17-56 Snow clearing.jpg
Snow cleared from roadway 3rd Dec
2010-12-03 17-40-42 FG Snow.jpg
Thaw setting in where snow cleared 4th Dec
2010-12-04 18-11-42.FG Snow n lights.jpg
That is the north side of the road which gets no sun whatsoever in Decmeber. The other side of the road which gets sun, but had not had the snow cleared took until 11th December to thaw :wink:

Big kids and their snowman 20th Dec :lol:
2010-12-20 22-15-42 Kids and Frozzy the Snowman.jpg
Best regards
Dave
icon_thumright
_________________________________________________
Roll on summer.....
http://www.hardytropicals.co.uk
Tom2006
Posts: 8094
Joined: Thu Sep 30, 2010 11:23 am
Location: East Yorkshire UK

Re: Beating the snow and the silly temps ?

Post by Tom2006 »

good post dave. We were getting 9-10" of snow each day for a few days so impossible here.
Most wanted list - Any Young Trachycarpus and/or fern.
jezza

Re: Beating the snow and the silly temps ?

Post by jezza »

You being a snow hoe again dave? :lol:

Gave me backache just clearing my driveway. Only one other person in the street bothered to do the same, everyone else sat indoors as it was too cold :roll:
Post Reply