Not all outdoor plants are hardy. In other words, not all of them are cold hardy. As winter and frost approach, sensitive or fragile plants need to be protected so they continue to thrive, even in the harshest of conditions. Find out how to protect your plants from frost.

The hardiness of a plant is its ability to resist cold and frost. Some plants are less cold hardy than others. This is especially true with tropical plants. If there are plants that are not very resistant in your garden or orchard, you should know that you can protect them from frost and extreme cold.

How to effectively protect plants from frost?

  • potted plants

Potted plants suffer more from the cold than those planted in the ground. In fact, the cold touches the surface of the plant, but it also filters between the walls of the pot. To protect your potted plant, place it against a wall to protect it from drafts.

Also remember to wrap the containers in bubble wrap or canvas to protect them from the cold, which could break them. It must be said that the choice of material for the vase is also decisive in the winter period. Clay pots can’t stand the cold. In fact, they can break due to frost. Resin or plastic pots won’t be damaged by frost, but they won’t be able to protect your plants from the cold. On the other hand,    wood is the most effective material in winter. It is an insulator that resists frost and therefore your plants will be better protected.

wrap the jar 

Wrap the jar – Source: spm

Don’t put your pots directly on the cold ground, raise them using bricks or just corks. This will also   ensure better drainage and prevent water from stagnating and therefore not freezing   . Hence the need to always remove stagnant water in the saucer or pot after watering.

raised pot 

Raised Vase – Source: spm

For plants more sensitive to cold, it is preferable to keep them, or    keep them in a cool and ventilated place, whose temperature does not exceed 15°C and is not less than 5°C.  Keep in mind that the plants do not support sudden changes in temperature. Remember to store them before the first frosts so that they acclimatize, that is, they get used to lower temperatures. Therefore, they can be considered a greenhouse, a terrace or a garage, depending on your vehicle.

  • plants on the ground

Protect them from the cold by covering them with a winter veil or striped lining. This will wrap your plants, but not suffocate them. To do this, make sure the cover does not directly touch your plants. Cover the plants early in the evening and    remove the cover the next morning to allow your plants to take advantage of the sunlight.

cover in a row 

Row Coverage – Source: spm

You can cover your plants with a blanket or sheet from home. Roll them loosely so as not to suffocate them and, if necessary, support the cover with pegs driven into the ground. Wrap your plants or shrubs in soil and be careful not to tie the blanket around the trunk or stem, as this can    prevent radiating heat from the soil from warming the entire planting.

To give your plants extra protection, especially in bad weather and heavy rain, add a towel or shower curtain over the deck.

You can also cover individual plants with garden bells or improvise your own bell out of a flower pot, inverted bucket, or cut-out plastic milk jug.

personalized bells 

Custom Bells – Source: spm

To protect shrubs, young shoots, and perennials, cover with mulch. Mulching your garden consists of covering the land that surrounds the plantations with mulch, which can be made up of vegetable or mineral substances. Then lay bark, a mat of dead leaves, wood or hay mulch or even compost at the foot of your plantations and young plants. Mulching, in addition to protecting the root system of your plants from frost and preventing the appearance of weeds, also nourishes your vegetation.  Also, mulches are considered good fertilizers.

mulch 

Mulch – Source: spm

What plants are sensitive to frost?

  • Fruit trees and shrubs that bloom in spring, such as cherry trees;
  • Succulents, impatiens, geraniums or bougainvillea
  • Perennial plants such as dahlia, canna or caladium;
  • Mediterranean evergreens, such as citrus (lemons or oranges), oleanders: however, they can withstand a temporary frost, but this could damage the foliage;
  • Some edible plants or vegetables such as cucumbers, eggplants and peppers.

That said, these tips will help you winterize your plants and protect them from frost so they can get through the winter just fine.

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