Cold Trials
What to Track After a Cold Event
The most useful cold notes are not just the low temperature. Recovery tells the real story.
Record the conditions
Write down forecast low, actual low if known, wind, frost, duration below freezing, and whether the plant was in a pot or in the ground.
Record the protection
Note whether the plant was moved, covered, mulched, staged near a wall, protected with heat, or left unprotected. Those details matter when comparing results later.
Record the recovery
Check damage immediately, then again after 30, 60, and 90 days. A tree that looks rough but pushes cleanly may be more valuable than one that looks fine until delayed damage appears.