Our First Cold Florida Night

   Tonight is supposed to be the first cold night in Florida this year, 36 degrees.  I have  several tropical plants that are being cultivated as bonsai.  The tropicals get along with cool temps, the mid forties is about the lowest they continue to thrive.
   This afternoon I had to move the plants into a small greenhouse on my porch that is kept warm with a single lightbulb.  The plastic sides have a double thick construction, just like thermal glass.  There is a bit of air between that buffers the heat from the cold.  The first plant you see is Turks cap that is struggling to figure out if it should be dormant or bloom.  It was trimmed to taper a month ago, and now is flushing out way to early.  It is tall, so it went to the top of the greenhouse take up the height and not get burned.  This beauty needs some tlc until it slows down.
   The extra is the second layer of the greenhouse.  There are several tropical plants, as well as some shoots that are rooting for the spring.  It continues to amaze me that one lightbulb will protect them.  I have used this method for 5 years now.