How To Protect Plants From Frost

With the change of seasons, the concern to protect the plants from frost also begins, whether they are on the terrace or in the garden.

Plants also suffer from the cold and that is why they must be taken care of from frost.

Clear, calm nights, where there are few or no clouds to reflect heat to the ground and little or no wind to scatter the warmer areas of the air, are ideal for frost.

Frosts cause ice crystals to form in plant cells, severely damaging them. The ice makes water unavailable to plant tissues and interrupts the movement of fluids within the plant. Learn all about how to protect plants from frost in this post.

Four Tips To Protect Plants In Winter

Bringing Potted Plants Indoors

The easiest way to protect our plants from the frost is to bring as many as we can inside the house.

It is necessary to place them near windows according to their solar needs.

Protect Plants Covering

An old sheet, a tarp, a blanket, or a piece of plastic can be placed on the plants. The cover should be placed so that it does not touch the leaves or plant branches. You may have to place some stakes to hold it without damaging the plant.

This method works very well to protect plants from frost. But it does not help much with the cold as it will not raise the temperature very much. During the day you have to remove it so that the plants receive air and light.

This is an excellent method to protect plants from frost. We use this product to cover our plants in winter (Order it here).

FLARMOR Floating Row Cover 10x50ft- Fabric Blanket- Protects Outdoor Plants and Vegetables from Frost 0.55oz, Sun, and Insects- Freeze Protection- Covers Outdoor Plants Against Harsh Weather
  • EXTEND YOUR GROWING SEASON: Thermal blanket retains heat and moisture protecting against frost and freezing.
  • NO MORE DAMAGE FROM WIND AND RAIN: Cover protects your plants from winds and heavy rains, keeping them safe from weather.
  • SICK OF PESTS ATTACKING YOUR OUTDOOR PLANTS: Protection against rabbits, birds, insects, and other pests.
protect plants from frost
Frost protection with tarp.
frost tarp for protect plants

Wet the Soil

It is important to water the soil around the plants abundantly before a very cold or frosty night. The soil traps heat better when it is wet than when it is dry. Water evaporates slowly, heating the air around it.

But don’t use this method in the face of a severe frost because it could be counterproductive. Also, don’t water frozen soil.

Place a Layer of Mulch

Mulch is used to insulate the soil, retaining heat and moisture. It is also used to protect the root system of each plant from cold and frost. Sometimes very low temperatures are not what damage the plant. What can damage it is the freeze-thaw cycle that affects the soil. Also, cold soil can prevent water from being easily distributed. Quality mulch (Order it here).

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We hope this article on how to protect plants from frost will be very useful to be ready for this coming winter. We recommend our article on how to plant tulip bulbs step by step.

mulch frost
Mulch on plants.

About Henry Morgan

We are the Morgans, Henry, and Julia, both agronomists from the University of Michigan, where we met. We are experts in putting our hands in the soil and developing organic foods and improving production processes for decades. Likewise, we have worked for companies such as Mondelez International, BASF, Monsanto, etc. currently in our role as science writers for TheGardenStyle.com as well as advisors in promoting large scale food growing in urbanized areas. In this website, we share what we are most passionate about, gardening and farming. Enjoy and see real photos on our website.