Your Cart is Empty
With the days growing shorter and the temperatures dropping, gardeners across the nation know that it's time to start thinking about how to protect their gardens from the inevitable winter frost. Keeping your garden healthy and thriving all-year-round is a commitment, and when the chill of winter sets in, extra care is needed.
The first of the winter frost can be a nasty nuisance to deal with, as it can damage yourplants and undo months of your hard work. But fear not, as this guide will help you create some effective strategies to help mitigate the damage done to your garden through frost this winter!
Below you will find five tips to combat the first frosts, ensuring your garden remains intact and healthy come spring.
A simple yet highly effective method of protecting your garden from frost is mulching. A generous layer of mulch acts as insulation against the cold. Mulch traps warmth into the soil, which helps to reduce temperature fluctuations. It also retains moisture, which can be vital during the colder months.
You should replenish your mulch as the season goes on, to ensure decomposition doesn’t reduce the thick layer needed.
Cloches and covers for your plants help protect them from frost. The extra layer of defence helps to insulate and protect your plants from the harsh winter air. Cloches help to trap heat, keeping frost at bay. Cover and cloches are especially useful for protecting delicate flowers and young plants.
Coming in a variety of styles, you can choose cloches that best match your garden’s aesthetic. Additionally, cloches need to be positioned carefully over the plants, and securely anchored to them to prevent wind damage.
It might seem counterintuitive, but watering your garden before a frost can provide an additional line of defence. This is because moist soil retains heat better than dry soil, which helps to keep your plants warm and can help stop the roots from freezing. If no rainfall is expected, watering before frost sets in can help reduce the negative effect of frost.
It is important to note that you should water according to each plant's needs.
If you weren't already aware, potted plants are more vulnerable to frost, as their limited soil volume offers minimal protection against the drop in temperature. If possible, locate your potted plants in an indoor space such as a greenhouse or porch. This additional shelter can really help protect your potted plants against the winter frost.
