How to protect your plants from Frost: Quick and Easy methods
As winter approaches and the cold, frosty weather sets in, it’s important to understand how to protect your plants.
There’s something magical about seeing frost glisten on the leaves and flowers, creating a winter wonderland in my garden. I love winter and gardening, but frost can be a gardener’s worst enemy as it takes over, often damaging and killing flowers you’ve nurtured for months. Keep reading for some tips and tricks on how I protect my plants from frost.
Frost occurs when the temperature drops below the freezing point, and water vapour in the air turns into ice crystals. These ice crystals can form on the surface of plants, or inside their cells, causing them to freeze and burst. This can lead to wilting, browning, or death of the plant. Some plants are more susceptible to frost damage than others, depending on their hardiness and stage of growth. The ones that need extra care are:
Tender perennials (For example, Gazanias)
Young seedlings and new growth
Half-hardy varieties (For example, Pink Cosmos)
Tropical and subtropical plants
To protect your plants from frost, you need to take some preventative measures before, during, and after the frost. Here are some of the most effective ways to do so:
Before the frost:
The best way to prevent frost damage is to move all your potted plants indoors to a sheltered location such as a conservatory or greenhouse. When growing seedlings, a small greenhouse will be your best friend!
Apply some dry mulch, leaf mould, or chipped bark around borderline-hardy plants to protect them and provide a barrier against the cold. This method also provides the soil with nutrients, leaving your plants beautiful in the next year.
If frost is forecast, cover them up with frost blankets, newspaper, or cloths. Make sure that they are fully covered and add an extra layer if it’s extra freezing that night. These can be removed during the day and replaced again at night. Be careful to not remove them during the early morning sun as this can cause them to thaw too quickly, causing damage. I don’t recommend using plastic bags to cover your plants as this can create more damage to your foliage and isn’t insulating or sustainable.
Water your plants thoroughly before the frost in the morning as moist soil retains more heat during the day and will prevent dehydration of the plants’ cells.
During the frost:
If you are unable to move containers indoors as a method of protection, you can try to increase the temperature around them by using heaters or candles. Be extra careful with this method in order not to burn your plants or create a fire hazard. A more preferred method I use is to wrap the containers with straw to provide some kind of insulation to the plant and prevent the roots from freezing. You should also raise all pots off the ground to prevent your plants from sitting in an ice bath!
After the frost:
Once the frost is over, remove all covers or heaters from your plants after the initial morning sun and inspect them for any signs of damage. Sometimes frost damage is simply unavoidable no matter what you do, so don’t be discouraged if this happens to you. If you do see any wilted or brown parts, prune out the damage if no more frost is expected. Avoid watering or fertilising your plants until they’ve recovered as this can stress them more and cause root rot.
Extra tips:
I recommend lifting your tender perennials such as dahlias before the first frost and storing the roots, bulbs, and tubers in a cool, moist-free place. Check out the following guide for details on how to lift and store your dahlias: Dahlias - ongoing care.
If you have palm trees, protect the leaves by tying them in to protect the growing point.
For young tropical fruit trees, protect them with straw or bark packed loosely around them with a wire cage placed over them. This will also make it easier to cover with a cloth.
I hope these tips will help you protect your plants from frost and enjoy your winter gardening! Happy Gardening! 🌱🌼❄️