NEW ORLEANS (WGNO) — As the cold weather arrives, preparations need to be made.
Temperatures in the Greater New Orleans area may not dip below freezing, but, according to Wayne Soniat, the manager at The Plant Gallery in New Orleans, it’s never a bad idea to start making a game plan for your plants.
“Most of your plants, though, are going to prefer temperatures above 40 [degrees],” said Soniat.
Some plants, like the petunia, will be okay outside in the cold, but other plants, like the hibiscus, will need some level of protection.
“Wrapping them in breathable cloth material usually helps,” explained Soniat. “You can do a tarp if there’s some airflow. Make sure it’s anchored to the ground, so it doesn’t just blow away.”
It’s also important to note that your plant will still need some water in chilly weather.
“If, for example, your plants are dry, going into cold weather or going into harsh winds, then those elements will only exacerbate the situation and put more stress on your plant,” said Soniat.
Ultimately, Soniat says, too much care is always going to be better than not enough care.
“The way I like to look at it is as far as which plants you need to protect: the ones that you care about the most,” said Soniat. “I have a few plants that I’ve had for years, and I know that if they froze or if they got some damage on them, I would be heartbroken. So, always go that extra step and make sure that they are taken care of.”