Protecting Plants from Frost - 10 Top Tips

Frost Protection for Plants

10 Top Tips for protecting plants from frost in winter

Tender plants will need protecting from the winter snow and frost if they are to survive. If you are not sure how much protection a particular plant needs, it is worth looking up its hardiness either in a book on online. If unsure, pop in and ask at Langlands Garden Advice Centre.

When planting-up pots, polystyrene packaging chunks can be used instead of crock as drainage in the bottom and pots can be lined with bubble wrap for built-in frost protection. As well as protecting the roots this gives the compost something to expand into when it freezes, preventing pots from cracking.

Wrap less-hardy plants with fleece to protect against the severe weather.
Tender plants should be taken into the greenhouse or indoors.
Move plants in pots to a more sheltered location in the garden, i.e. against a wall or in a corner.
Wrap pots with bubble-wrap or sacking to help to protect plant roots.
Use pot feet to raise pots off the ground, creating a gap between the frozen ground and the pot.
Mulch-over the top of herbaceous plants with leaves or compost for added protection.
Don’t let pots become waterlogged or stand in water. Remove pot trays.
A selection of pre-made, reuseable cases and covers that fasten over pots are available in a range of different sizes to make life easier.
If snow settles on the top of plants, try to knock it off, as it will freeze onto the plant, reducing the temperature further. The weight can also distort the plants' shape as well as breaking its branches.