Share your microclimate and tips on building/finding microclimates.

[Maddox Gardening-youtube]

If you have a good microclimate please show us! And also please give tips on creating/ finding microclimates.

[Robbertico18]

I try to plant my most tender plants in my south facing garden, which also has the benefit of a live oak canopy over top to help keep frost at bay

[Harry’s Palms]

I am in a bit of a micro climate here . Up on a hill , South facing slope that drains cold air from where our house is . Up where my more sensitive palms are , no frost in 28 years. Down below my house a block or so there is sometimes frost on the rooftops. I think , last I checked , Santa Paula is 9b but I am a solid 10a . I think the canopy of mature palms , location of the property in relation to sunrise and air flow creates a nice environment for a wide variety of palms would normally struggle. Harry 

‘looking southeast from where our deck is. As you can see , this elevation gives us early morning through late afternoon sun. I grow most of the cold hardy palms on this part of the property , unless the gophers find them edible. In the winter , the difference in morning temps can be 3 degrees f or more compared to down below. 

[kinzyjr]

@Maddox Gardening-youtube 

There are natural and artificial causes for a regional microclimate like proximity to water, urban heat islands, elevation, etc.  Then there's attempting to protect your plants.  

As far as siting, just think about what makes your house warmer than the outside.  The four walls, ceiling, and floor block the wind and trap heat in an enclosed area.  You can add heat to your house using a fireplace, heating unit, etc.  The same concepts apply to sheltering your garden.

Having a ceiling in your garden greatly reduces the probability of frost.  Since most of the cold snaps here are primarily radiational in nature, frost is going to do most of the damage.  If you can defeat frost, you've expanded your planting choices significantly.  The easiest modification to make is tree canopy.  Our native live oak does a great job of reducing frost in a property.  There are other good choices, but the bottom line is that there is a reason a lot of us (my self included) use canopy.

We have advective freezes from time to time.  Of the more recent ones, January 2018 sticks out in my mind.  You can read up on the results of the site members here: https://www.palmtalk.org/forum/topic/55520-2018_01-2018-freeze-in-central-florida/

Advective cooling is more difficult to deal with from a temperature standpoint because the air is mixed and uniform in temperature.  Windbreaks help, but they vary in effectiveness.  Bamboo or any kind of dense shrub will help, but a cement wall really does the trick.  You'll see a lot of folks plant their most sensitive stuff against a south or east facing wall.  Anything that blocks the north and west wind and stores heat will increase the likelihood that your palm will survive an advective freeze. 

Thinking about how to mitigate both types of freeze events will help you as things progress.  I'll address the main topic now.

My Microclimate - Advantages: My property is sloped approximately 12 feet from the southwest corner to the northeast corner.  There isn't anywhere for cold air or water to sit.  The property sits inside the city limits of a rapidly growing metro area with a heat island.  The property is bordered on three sides by fences, podocarpus hedges, and other dense plantings that drop wind speed significantly.  There was one live oak here when I arrived, and I've added more.  There has not been a single instance of frost under any of the oaks.  

My Microclimate - Disadvantages: Because this area is closer to the west side of Florida, the cold fronts tend to barrel down this side of the peninsula first, and usually land more direct hits than the glancing blows locations get further east.  The west half of the peninsula is half a zone to a zone colder than similar locations on the east half (ex. Daytona Beach Shores, Cedar Key), due to mostly to cold front trajectory and the St. John's River.  This location is not close to the Gulf or the Atlantic, and my own location is not directly southeast of a large lake.

My Microclimate - End Result: While not as mild as some areas along the I-4 corridor, there is an advantage to being in town vs. further west or east.  The photos below, borrowed from the January 2022 Freeze Report tell the story.

Just West of KLAL: All Foxtails damaged and frost everywhere the sun hasn't reached when the photo was taken. 

Lake Miriam Plaza - Foxtails show no damage at all

Straight Line Distance is ~5.5 miles

[Than]

2 hours ago, Harry’s Palms said:

I am in a bit of a micro climate here . Up on a hill , South facing slope that drains cold air from where our house is . Up where my more sensitive palms are , no frost in 28 years. Down below my house a block or so there is sometimes frost on the rooftops. I think , last I checked , Santa Paula is 9b but I am a solid 10a . I think the canopy of mature palms , location of the property in relation to sunrise and air flow creates a nice environment for a wide variety of palms would normally struggle. Harry 

‘looking southeast from where our deck is. As you can see , this elevation gives us early morning through late afternoon sun. I grow most of the cold hardy palms on this part of the property , unless the gophers find them edible. In the winter , the difference in morning temps can be 3 degrees f or more compared to down below. 

My property is the exact opposite. It is also on a south facing slope but with a narrow valley below that traps the cold air. Also, a high hill on the east delays the sunrise by a couple of hours. I am a solid 9b in a 10a area and some of my plants do struggle where they normally wouldn't. But at least I have a nice view 

[Than]

3 hours ago, Maddox Gardening-youtube said:

If you have a good microclimate please show us! And also please give tips on creating/ finding microclimates.

To summarise the main tips: Block cold winds with tall bushes on the fence line (but also make sure the cold wind can exit - so leave gaps strategically), place sensitive plants near a south-facing wall, create canopy with tall trees: it will trap warmth underneath during night hours, include a large water body if you have the space and means (water traps and then releases heat), plant sensitive plants close to each other, add a thick layer of mulch on the roots.

There are also semi-permanent things you can do: place black water containers near the sensitive plants. Black color will warm up the water inside and the warmth will be radiated at night. Big stones or concrete blocks and pathways also work like that. Cover sensitive plants with frost cloth. Wrap incandescence Xmas lights around them on cold nights. Accept the fact that you'll lose plants sometimes. 

Best of all: choose resilient plants for your climate: less work, less stress.

[Mazat]

2 hours ago, Than said:

My property is the exact opposite. It is also on a south facing slope but with a narrow valley below that traps the cold air. Also, a high hill on the east delays the sunrise by a couple of hours. I am a solid 9b in a 10a area and some of my plants do struggle where they normally wouldn't. But at least I have a nice view 

I would have taken the view and then the challenge of the more difficult zone. I love challenges ...

I think the view is important; it's just good for your mental health.

[Mazat]

5 hours ago, Harry’s Palms said:

I am in a bit of a micro climate here . Up on a hill , South facing slope that drains cold air from where our house is . Up where my more sensitive palms are , no frost in 28 years. Down below my house a block or so there is sometimes frost on the rooftops. I think , last I checked , Santa Paula is 9b but I am a solid 10a . I think the canopy of mature palms , location of the property in relation to sunrise and air flow creates a nice environment for a wide variety of palms would normally struggle. Harry 

‘looking southeast from where our deck is. As you can see , this elevation gives us early morning through late afternoon sun. I grow most of the cold hardy palms on this part of the property , unless the gophers find them edible. In the winter , the difference in morning temps can be 3 degrees f or more compared to down below. 

Wonderful location, Harry.
It reminds me very much of the location of Gen, my uncle in Weesen, Lake Walen. He lives 40 meters above the lake and has sun from morning to evening, and yes, it is also 2-3 degrees celsius warmer than down by the lake and very rarely foggy.

[Than]

4 hours ago, Mazat said:

I would have taken the view and then the challenge of the more difficult zone. I love challenges ...

I think the view is important; it's just good for your mental health.

I totally agree. At the end of the day, if something cannot survive or needs too much effort, then it will have to be replaced. This first winter will be the big test. View is very important as you said! We see olive groves and hills covered in oaks and cypresses. One day I may have the chance to share it with you

[Mazat]

21 hours ago, Than said:

I totally agree. At the end of the day, if something cannot survive or needs too much effort, then it will have to be replaced. This first winter will be the big test. View is very important as you said! We see olive groves and hills covered in oaks and cypresses. One day I may have the chance to share it with you

Yes, Than, that's definitely a great idea for next year.

[sonoranfans]

Being fortunate to have land with a good microclimate is very different than trying to create warm spots in your yard.   I will focus on what can be changed.  Canopy takes years, 10 years in my case though some oaks beyond the property to the south help keep it warm.  My yard was a bare lot tree wise a few shrubs in front.

Where do the coldest fronts come from what direction?  For me that was mainly North, with a little NW or NE.  This means the north part of the yard will have the cold hardy palms and the south will have the more tender palms, especially behind the house.  Radiative (little wind) or advective(constant wind) events are different.  Canopy or location near the house works nicely when there is no wind but wind makes any manipulation of a local warm spot much more difficult and in some cases you wont even get half a zone improvement with wind.  The problem with wind is that it carries away the radiative(black heat the earth surrenders at the end of each day.  You want to keep it around as long as possible.  Wind velocity can be high enough to negate any heat trapping of radiated heat from the ground.

So I set out to put in cold hardy palms to the north(front yard), wind block to the east and west and I did have a 7; solid fence and some oaks behind my yard in a common area that break wind and then I put in fast palms in the tender area to the south in back for canopy.  In the overhead photo, its easy to see the palm nuts yard.  N is to the street.  The most tender palms in front take to 26F and are sun lovers that get a lot of summer sun, all day pretty much.  Sunny areas are harder to keep wet in sandy soil so those in front have big deep root systems and are generally waxy of leaf( Bismarckia, copernicia, sabal uresana).  In back are the more tender 10a palms and they are bunched to keep things warm,  Serenoa repens and to a lesser extent dwarf bamboo help with windbreak to the east and west and are up to 12 foot tall and laugh at cold here.

In back is the area for the zone 10a wet lovers which are bunched and watered efficiently by broadcast sprinklers with large Roystonea and C. Oliviformis and Beccariophoenix Alfredii overhead to trap down heat.   Even with all that planning, an extended(8hr) 30 degree advective event 4-6 years back caused a fair amount of leaf burn on lower leaves of the 10a palms but they have survived it and grown back well.  

Zone pushing can work half a zone for a short radiational event, longer advective events will challenge even half a zone push.  And remember a 9B palm survives 9B, it lives.  That doesn't mean it doesnt get some serious unsightly damage that will take 1-2 years to grow out.  If your yard is empty, make a plan to adapt it to be more zone push friendly.  Start with palms that are not a zone push add the zone pushes later as it grows in.

[OutpostPalms]

My yard is a mixed bag but mostly good. 
 

Advantages: I have towering pine trees surrounding the yard on all four sides. My house being elevated also looms above the yard. I believe the pines and the house keep the frost away. The wooded surroundings have a jungle like thickness that softens any winds and keeps warmth contained. I am also adjacent to a marsh and not far from the open gulf waters however the waters are to the south where they’re the least helpful. 
 

Disadvantages: No heat island like downtown.  Winters are wet which many palms don’t like if their cold tolerance is being tested. Trees block early morning sun delaying the warmup. 
 

Microclimate efforts: I’ve allowed grasses and shrubbery to grow around the perimeter of the yard, especially on the north side. I’m working on planting a wall of banana plants along the northern edge of the yard. Landscape rocks around my palms could be in the future as well. 

[Than]

3 hours ago, OutpostPalms said:

My yard is a mixed bag but mostly good. 
 

Advantages: I have towering pine trees surrounding the yard on all four sides. My house being elevated also looms above the yard. I believe the pines and the house keep the frost away. The wooded surroundings have a jungle like thickness that softens any winds and keeps warmth contained. I am also adjacent to a marsh and not far from the open gulf waters however the waters are to the south where they’re the least helpful. 
 

Disadvantages: No heat island like downtown.  Winters are wet which many palms don’t like if their cold tolerance is being tested. Trees block early morning sun delaying the warmup. 
 

Microclimate efforts: I’ve allowed grasses and shrubbery to grow around the perimeter of the yard, especially on the north side. I’m working on planting a wall of banana plants along the northern edge of the yard. Landscape rocks around my palms could be in the future as well. 

My yard in my previous house was also covered by tall pine trees and despite the lack of sun and the yard facing north, they made wonders. I left all my sensitive plants outside with no protection and they all survived fine. 

[Phoenikakias]

On 11/16/2025 at 5:23 AM, Harry’s Palms said:

I am in a bit of a micro climate here . Up on a hill , South facing slope that drains cold air from where our house is . Up where my more sensitive palms are , no frost in 28 years. Down below my house a block or so there is sometimes frost on the rooftops. I think , last I checked , Santa Paula is 9b but I am a solid 10a . I think the canopy of mature palms , location of the property in relation to sunrise and air flow creates a nice environment for a wide variety of palms would normally struggle. Harry 

‘looking southeast from where our deck is. As you can see , this elevation gives us early morning through late afternoon sun. I grow most of the cold hardy palms on this part of the property , unless the gophers find them edible. In the winter , the difference in morning temps can be 3 degrees f or more compared to down below. 

What is the altitude of the most favorable spot?

[Harry’s Palms]

@Phoenikakias  My favorite spot is the south facing deck where we have daytime lounging and night time fire pit . The house and deck are 650 feet above sea level. Harry

[Phoenikakias]

18 hours ago, Harry’s Palms said:

@Phoenikakias  My favorite spot is the south facing deck where we have daytime lounging and night time fire pit . The house and deck are 650 feet above sea level. Harry

OK, this is about 198 m.  About 60 m (196 ft) higher than my own garden.  Given the very hot temperature during summer and and the occasional light frost at night during winter plus the windward location, my microclimate is rather unfavorable!  In detail, during frosty nights and generally after cold nights I am in need of warming up a.s.a.p. in following morning. Unfortunately sun sets up right behind the slope, where I am located (south-west orientation), meaning that direct sun exposure during winter is delayed,  meaning further that frosty conditions may last longer. Conversely during summer sun-scorching conditions last until absolute sundown. Windward location on the other hand plus elevation makes radiation freeze impossible but also average temps are lower. So a situation not ideal at all.