Question From: J. Tease - ARIZONA
Q: Nancy - Hope you're doing awesome. In Phoenix, Arizona, I have a 14 foot honeysuckle shrub which I really grown to love since purchasing it a couple years ago. (In fact, it has doubled in size during the past year, making me as proud as any other person with a fondness for nature/gardening.) :-) Last year, I was able to cover the honeysuckle with a 4 king size sheets to avoid any frosts as it was only 6 foot high. This year, I had to purchase 7 additional king size sheets, and invest 2 hours to accomplish the same task for only one night. I read about frost covers on the internet, but the ones I saw were only for 6 foot shrubs/trees. Also, I spoke with a friend who recommended using Christmas lights for the same purpose. I thought I would ask you for your incredible expertise and wisdom before making any further investments as the king size sheet approach has become an increasingly expensive and a time-consuming task. Plus, I was concerned with hanging lights on my shrub as I don't want to create any issues with the health of the shrub and/or safety of my home. Wishing you the best with sincere thanks.
A:
I have heard of using Christmas tree lights - they need to be the incandecent type, but you will still need to cover the shrub to trap the heat. It will give you a couple of degrees of protection. Be sure to use outdoor lights and extensions. You might also research using a fine spray of water, which is what citrus growers use in Florida. I don't have the expertise, but if you do a google search, I'm sure you can find it. Good Luck and Happy Yardening, Nancy
