Hendry County neighbors protect plants from frost damage ahead of cold snap

LABELLE, Fla.—As colder temperatures move into Southwest Florida, inland communities like LaBelle are feeling the impact.

Across Hendry County, neighbors spent the day preparing for the overnight cold by covering plants, moving pots, and doing what they could to protect gardens and fruit trees that can be damaged by even a few chilly nights.

Jack Weaver, who lives in Fort Denaud near LaBelle, says preparation is routine when cold fronts move through, but the impacts can still be costly. Weaver spent hours covering orchids, vegetables, and other plants on his property, knowing young growth is especially vulnerable to colder temperatures.

“It was green until the last frost, and that kind of was the last nail in the coffin that knocked it down,” Weaver said, referring to pasture grass damaged by earlier cold weather. “So now we have to buy hay. That’s a hit.”

While Weaver says his animals handle the cold just fine, the land and plants don’t always bounce back as easily. 

He says living farther inland means colder air tends to settle overnight, making preparation even more critical.

Paul Samerdyke, a longtime LaBelle resident who grows mangoes and avocados, is watching the forecast closely. Samerdyke says tropical fruit trees are susceptible to cold snaps, particularly when fruit has already begun to set.

“These are tropical fruits, and we’re in a subtropical area,” Samerdyke said. “So a cold snap just whacks them, it sets them back.”

Samerdyke says temperatures near freezing could wipe out much of the fruit developing on his trees, forcing him to reset and hope for a better season next year. He says larger trees are thorny to protect, leaving growers with few options beyond monitoring conditions and waiting to see how the night turns out.

Both neighbors say cold fronts like this are simply part of life in rural Southwest Florida. While the work can be time-consuming and expensive, preparation is something inland residents have learned to expect.

Neighbors say they plan to check on their plants again early in the morning and throughout the weekend to assess any damage once the cold weather passes.