One minute in Texas can be 90ºF+ and the next it could dip down into freezing temps. At Shamballah Home & Gardens, freeze protection to winterize your garden is one of the most important maintenance services we offer during our winter months to help keep your landscape healthy, resilient, and thriving.

If you are on our maintenance plan, we will automatically prep your plants for a freeze. If you prefer to handle the task yourself, this guide will walk you through when to winterize the garden, what needs to be covered, and how we approach freeze protection for light or hard freezes.

Understanding the Type of Freeze

Not all freezes require the same time of attention, and we generally deal with two categories of freezes here in Central Texas:

Light Freeze (Temps Hover Around 32ºF but not below 25ºF)

• Temperatures dip below freezing for only a few hours
• Daytime temps will rise above freezing
• This type of cold is usually within the tolerance of most Texas native plants

Hard Freeze (Temps Drop Below 25ºF for Long Periods)

• A freeze that spans over multiple nights
• It can affect hardy ornamentals and many non-natives
• Requires more intensive protection and monitoring

Shamballah Home & Gardens has different plans depending on the severity of a freeze to best protect your plants and the long-term health of your soil and garden systems.

What We Protect During Light and Hard Freezes

Winterize Your Garden For a Light Freeze

For mild cold snaps, about 1/3 of the plants we use are hardy down to 15° F! However, to winterize your garden we always protect:

• Cactus and succulent species: These plants store water, making them more vulnerable to cellular freeze damage.
• Recent plantings (less than 6 months planted): They may not have formed sufficient underground storage structures or sufficient protective woody stem growth.

Winterize Your Garden For a Hard Freeze

When temperatures are expected to fall below 25ºF for multiple nights, a higher level of preparation is needed. During a hard freeze, our team protects nearly all plantings except:

• Trees
• Shrubs over 5ft tall

If you aren’t on our maintenance plan, we recommend covering everything except larger woody plants. We also:

• Install covers prior to the cold front that remains in place for the duration of the freeze.
• Install light-permeable covers for evergreens. Since the daytime highs are usually above freezing, though metabolic rate will be very low, we want to retain the capacity for at least minimal photosynthesis during the stretch.
• We will also disconnect any above-ground irrigation systems, set to drip, and cover the outdoor faucets.
• Depending on the severity of the freeze, we will also slip portable hand warmers under the covers to give everyone a boost during the coldest 24 hours.

Shamballah Home & Gardens Winter Prep

If you are on our maintenance plan, our team tracks the forecast and watches for freezes to adjust our plans to winterize your garden. If you are not a maintenance client, we recommend following the above as well during light and hard freezes.

Your garden is a living system and we treat it with the same care and attention that we give our own. With thoughtful preparation, your plants can move through winter smoothly and reemerge healthy and happy each spring! If you have any questions on protecting your garden this season or want to join the maintenance plan, get in touch!