5 Best ways to cover Garden from frost
Table of Contents
Introduction:
Are you looking to start your garden early? Or maybe one more crop before fall. Today you will learn the best ways to cover your garden from frost. Whether it is early spring or late fall, sudden cold spells or frost can ruin your plants if they are not appropriately protected.
Some plants can handle a bit of a cold spell, but freezing temperatures destroy other plants.
By the end of this article, you will know how frost affects plants, the difference between tender and hardy plants, and when to protect your plants, and the best ways to cover garden from frost.
How frost affects plants.
Freezing temperatures cause the water inside of the plant to become ice and crystalize. This crystallization causes tears in the leaf cells and also prevents water from circulating the plant properly.
Frost damaged plants look like human frostbite, browning or blackening on the part of the leaf subject to extended freezing temperatures. Many canopy type plants may only have the outer leaves damaged because the outer leaves protected the interior ones.
I want to say this upfront, do not immediately prune, cut back, or remove frost-damaged plants because they can be surprisingly resilient. Give the plant a chance to recover in warmer weather, and if it creates new leaves, you can prune off the dead foliage.
Tender vs. Hardy plants
Different parts of the plants have different hardiness in them. For example, only the roots of a strawberry plant survive the winter, and the rest dies. Trees survive because they allow their tender leaves to die off while the trunk, branches, and roots live. Finally, the entire evergreen conifer trees are all equally hardy, and they stay green all year.
There are no general ways to know which plant is hardy and tender because plants have adapted several mechanisms to adapt to their surroundings. For example, Palm trees are notoriously delicate trees because they are broadleaf evergreens, but several varieties can handle the cold temperatures. These palms are usually shorter and grow slower, like the Windmill Palms variety.
The best way of knowing whether your plant is hardy or tender is to know and research the variety thoroughly. Once you understand, you will know which measures to take to prevent the plant’s loss due to frost.
Best way to protect garden from frost
There are several ways you can keep your plants from receiving frost damage.
- Bring all potted plants indoors before a cold spell that is tender. Because their soil is more exposed, they will suffer more.
- Water the ground before frost; wet ground holds heat better than dry land, but don’t overwater.
- Use blankets, drop cloths, or tarps to cover the plant. DO NOT allow the coverings to rest on the foliage, especially plastic.
- Use anti-transpiration spray. It coats the plant’s leaves with a thin film preventing water loss. During frosts, water may not be able to move effectively through the leaves during extreme cold, so keeping the water will significantly help.
- Outdoor heaters can be an emergency action if you have a sudden frost. Many great outdoor heaters can protect your plants until the ice is over.
Winter hardy plants
Did you know you can grow several types of crops during the late winter or fall? There is no reason to let your garden sit all winter long with nothing for it to grow.
Kale quickly grows in cold weather and can survive many mild touches of frost days. Most Kale varieties can survive 10F temperature and are also very bug resistant. Kale is my favorite vegetable because it is the most nutrient-dense plant you can grow.
Cabbage hates hot weather and loves the colder temperatures down to 26F. Cabbage is best grown in the fall because it’s chilled by the time you harvest it. Start cabbage seeds indoors 4 to 6 weeks before the last frost, and you can plant them 4-6 inch seedlings in the ground up to a month before the last frost! Make sure you harden them off before planting cabbage.
Broccoli and cauliflower can grow in the soil six weeks before the last frost! It is one of the earliest plants you can grow in your garden and another plant that hates the heat. So plan to plant it in early spring or the fall for a winter harvest.
Lettuce is the most common veggie to grow in early spring and requires cold weather, or it will bolt and go to flower early, making it bitter. You can sow lettuce seeds in the grown as low as 40F and starters are placed as soon as the ground is workable.
Root vegetables like Potatoes, carrots, turnips, and radishes grow great in frosty weather and are sown as early as 4-6 weeks before the last frost. Root veggies may take a long time to mature, around 70-80 days for most types, so the faster you put them in, the better!
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you cover the garden with plastic to protect from frost?
Absolutely! That is how exactly how a greenhouse works. It allows light and warmth in but keeps out the wind and outside temperatures out.
When to cover garden from frost?
It’s best to do it the day before you know a frost is coming.
Will one night of frost kill my plants?
Most plants can survive one night of frosting, but plenty will also suffer massive damage. Plants are very tough and will most likely recover if it is an adult plant.
Should you water plants after a frost?
Watering should be done before a frost, not during or immediately after. Frozen ground may become a high tabletop for the water to sit on, drowning your plants. Always allow the soil to thaw entirely before you water.
What is the best material to cover plants from frost?
Plastic Drop cloth is the best because it allows light into the enclosure, actively heating it. Other coverings only keep the cold out.
Can plants come back after a freeze?
Always give your plants a chance to regrow before you cut them back or remove them. They may survive, and you will save a planet.
Should I remove frost-damaged leaves?
Only remove frost-damaged leaves after your plant has regrown new leaves, the non-dead part of the leaves will still be productive.
Conclusion
Frost does not need to be a stress factor if you understand how hardy your plant is and know the proper precautions. Instead, enjoy a cup of coffee and watch the beautiful crystals on the ground.
Comment below on which s the best way you cover garden from frost.
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