Preparing for Frost

After an unusually warm fall, most areas of the country are now experiencing the first real cold spell of the season. This could mean snuggling up by a warm, cozy fire, but for your plants it could be quite treacherous. Frost has the potential to damage or even destroy your plants, but there are ways to protect them and minimalize damage.

 The basic thing you are working toward is providing your plants with extra warmth. If you have the ability or room to bring potted plants in doors, that is obviously ideal. However for shrubs or larger plants, this may not be feasible.lawn frost

One option is to cover them with either a tarp or sheet or similar material. This will help keep the heat in but it they need to be covered at the appropriate time to maximize heat. If you cover them up when you get home from work and then remove them before you leave the next morning you will allow them to get the most amount of heat from the sunlight through the day.

Another option is to use some sort of light to provide a bit of heat for your plants. This can be an outdoor lamp or maybe rearranging landscaping lights. Depending on available outlets and the location of your plants this may or may not be possible.

A final trick involves when to schedule your watering. If you water plants in the evening the moisture around the plants can help keep the air around them slightly warmer.

You’ve worked hard on your garden and plants and it can be very frustrating to see them ruined as soon as winter approaches. These tips can definitely help prevent frost damage, but they aren’t fool proof, and if the temperature drops low enough they may not be as effective, but you can at least prolong their life.