Tropical plants ARE very cold sensitive and should be covered at the first sign of frost or freeze warnings.

Backround

The idea for Foliagewraps spawn as a result of a hard freeze sunny Central Florida experienced last year when the ambient temperature dropped below freezing for three nights in a row. Despite all our efforts to cover our plants using the traditional bed sheets and blankets, our cold sensitive foliage still was not optimally protected and we suffered hundreds of dollars of damage to our lovely gardens. Anyone that knows my wife and I will agree we gain considerable joy working in our gardens. Certainly there was a suitable product out there to help prevent this from happening again!

I'm an Engineer by degree and an inventor of complex equipment (www.Schmidttechnicalservices.com), so the geek in me decided to do something about this. As I moved forwarded with my patent search and preparation, I was amazed to find that no one product coupled the convinced of a specially sewn bag with the idea of installing rope light in the lining as a low cost heat source. This forms the essential basis for the Foliagewarp Patent, which is now pending.

This novel idea dramatically simplifies the activity of covering your plants and provides a much more effective means of minimizing the adverse damage that freeze conditions have on tropical plants. Typically people do not cover their plants. It’s time consuming, and frustrating not have the right equipment for the job. Lets face it folks, we all like pretty tropical plants in our gardens. They add excellent value to your home, but if the first freeze your plants get stunted, or even killed, why plant in the first place.

The threat of below freezing conditions is becoming increasingly prevalent for areas that can support the growth of tropical plants and palms. Each year the freeze-affected zones are inching farther and farther south. By covering your plants each year, you make it possible for your home to enjoy having tropical plants permanently planted in your gardens.

We hope Foliagewraps proves to provide years of effective service.

 

Product Selection, Operation, and Installation

Select a Foliagewrap based on the measured distance across the width of the plant. Try to size your wraps such the space inside the enclosure is as small as possible. Remember to collapse the branches of the plant inward as much as possible. This will allow the rope light to heat up the least amount of volume inside the wrap. The bigger the wrap, the longer length of the rope light required.
On nights when hard freeze conditions are expected, string the appropriate rope light length through the slits in the wrap. The coupler end is strung first.

Each wrap can be plugged into the next up to the manufacturer's recommended length, typically 100'. Always consult the manufacturer's recommendations when cascading multiple runs of rope light on one extension cord.

Covering the plant works a lot easier when you seal the Velcro at the top of the wrap first, and then slide the wrap over the plant finally sealing the Velcro down the side. Close up the bottom of the wrap with the drawstring as much as possible. It sometimes is helpful to use clothespins to help secure the wrap to it-self thus further reducing the volume of the space inside the wrap and further securing the wrap to the plant. Simply push the wrap into the confines of the plant and use the clothespin to secure it to one the branches of the plant.

Foliagewraps come in a number of sizes and thermal heating capacities. Don't be afraid to double up on the length of rope light inside the wrap on those nights when the temperature is expected to drop below freezing.

Always remember to uncover your plants at first light. Sometimes it's helpful to rinse your plants off if you have the time.