Which is a better frost-cover: plastic or cloth? And why?

[DoomsDave]

I've always heard it was cloth, but don't recall the reasons why.

Fortunately, haven't had to be too concerned with that personally as a practical matter, but others have asked me, and I'm asking any of you all who might know an answer.

Fire away!

[SeanK]

Plastic conducts cold 🥶 

[Palmfarmer]

I would think plastic is better in some ways as long as there is a barrier between the plastic and the palm. iE a frame of sorts and of course a heat source. 

if you just want to wrap directly on to the palm I hear Burlap is best if you are going to wrap it directly against the fronds. I would the both do burlap first then frost cloth over that in between them you put a heat source.

[ahosey01]

I think this is situation-dependent.

If it sits up and off the palm and there is a heat source, I believe plastic is better.

If it sits right against the palm or there is no heat source, I believe cloth is better.

[flplantguy]

Direct contact should be a low density (lots or held air space inside) fabric; burlap does this somewhat since its thicker than a bed sheet (or plastic). The same way two laters of plastic greenhouse film with an air space between has a higher r-value than one layer alone.  This gap blocks ice from frost from conducting through as easily and and air pockets insulate further. In advective events i think an outer plastic windbreak with an internal insulation layer could work well, but any contact would allow the cold from the plastic to conduct through. I have seen a plastic sheet thrown over an adonidia here leave a very obvious line where the plastic destroyed the leaf but the uncovered open portion was fine. They sabotaged themselves in a last ditch attempt to protect it and killed it.  I want to try the stuffing for stuffed animals inside with the fronds in any open spaces, with a thick blanket or something similar around it all to hold it together.  Heating should be carefully done, if at all, and i wont use it here unless i have to. I have placed the chemical hand warmers in the plants too as a helper and it does work some too.  Also dont ever leave them covered when it gets warm, especially plastic.

[DoomsDave]

Thanks for the replies; keep them coming!

[SeanK]

If you wrap the plant, it should be cloth. If you're building a structure, plastic that doesn't touch will deflect moisture.

[RichardHemsley]

Having lived in Spain for nearly 6 years it's not a problem I have had to deal with recently!

But back in the motherland I used to wrap plants in horticulture fleece. Plastic in contact with the foliage caused rot. Some plants I used to protect using a polycarbonate roof above the plant, good for keeping snowfall off the plant