Watch out for Falling Iguanas! (landscaping, live, gardening)

[Sunshine Rules]

Tonight is predicted to be the coldest in about 4 years, with temps in much of our area dipping below the freezing mark, that's not counting the wind chill factor.

When temperatures drop that low, it causes iguanas to become stunned and they will fall from trees to the ground below. If you see an iguana laying on the ground, please do not touch it as it will snap back once the temps warm up enough the next day.

You find more iguanas in south Florida, but enough of them have migrated to our area that the news people are reminding everyone to watch out when walking under trees.

Speaking of the freezing temps, if you have potted plants on lanais or more delicate tropical plants in your landscapes, you may want to cover them up before evening protect them from damage. I have always used vintage bed sheets to cover plants, I often find them at Goodwill and Salvation Army stores. The older made in America sheets are typically thicker and stronger than newer manufactured sheets. Some gardening places sell special frost protection cloths. Blankets work as well, old bedspreads, also painting drop cloths. Skip plastic covers as plastic actually conducts the cold rather than keep it out.

If you live east of I-75 temperatures may drop below freezing for several hours, so protecting plants is especially important.

Should some of your landscaping plants end up damaged by the cold, the experts recommend leaving them alone until after the last frost/freeze of the season, typically in late February or early March. However, do be sure to water your plants after the cold snap.

Hopefully it won't get quite as cold as being predicted, but when it comes to my beautifully blooming pink hibiscus I would rather take precautions than lose all of the buds and blooms for several weeks.