University of Arizona extension experts say covering plants and small trees with cloth or paper can help prevent frost damage. A one-hundred watt light bulb designed for outdoor use can also provide warmth. Some people place Christmas lights on young trees for warmth. The bulbs should hang below the leaves to let the heat rise into the tree.

Cold is especially dangerous to citrus trees. Agricultural specialists at the University of California suggest putting paper or cloth around the trunk and central branches of young citrus trees.

In Florida, as temperatures fell to record lows, citrus growers sprayed water on their trees to help prevent freeze damage.

Jim Bottcher is a master gardener with the University of Florida extension. He explains that as the water freezes, it produces heat, and the ice forms a protective blanket around the tree. If you spray a tree, keep the water away from nearby power lines. Heavy ice can form and break them.

You can also wrap a tree in palm tree frond leaves, cornstalks or fiberglass. Adding plastic film works well in rain and snow. But experts say plastic alone does not help much.

And that's the VOA Special English Agriculture Report, written by Jerilyn Watson. More gardening and agricultural advice is at voaspecialenglish.com. I'm Bob Doughty.