Question
QUESTION: I am writing from India,the winter temp righht now is appx10degree centigrade  max and 2 degree min and my annual potted plants like petunia,pansy and salvia are shrivelling up ,there is a cold spell,frost n no sunshine.pladvice me how to save my annuals

ANSWER: Arpana,
I'm so sorry you're having unusually cold weather. That's happened in the United States too, and many people in normally warm places have frosted plants. If frost is predicted for another night, you can cover your annuals with a light-weight cloth to protect them. Don't water them right now unless they are very, very dry - in a cold spell it's better that the soil be just moist but not too wet. Leave the foliage alone for a few days until you can see what is just lightly damaged and what is dead from the frost. At that point, cut off any stems and leaves that haven't come back and are permanently wilted.

Once the sun comes out again water as you normally do, and once the temperatures get warmer you can give the plants the fertilizer you normally use, at a mild rate. Don't be tempted to over fertilize or water because if the plants have lost leaves they won't be able to use the excess water and fertilizer and it may harm the roots. Time and sunlight will be what allows them to grow again if the frost didn't get the entire plant.

all the best,
C.L.



---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Hi Mr Fornari,
thanks for your timely help,i do hope my petunias survive !Can i put a 60 watt bulb to provide some heat to the plants ie can i place the potted plants indoors?Someone suggested covering the pot with a polythene bag to create a mini greenhouse...is it effective?

Answer
Putting the plants indoors at night when it's coldest would be most effective if you can do so. I would not use the bulb outside because it would be hard to concentrate the heat, and a possible fire hazard. I wouldn't use the bag as it's too thin to hold much heat - cloth would be better should you want to drape something over the plants. I hope your weather warms soon!

C.L.