10 Tips on How to Protect Plants from Frost

Protecting your plants from frost is an important step to take before winters start to knock on your garden’s door. We’ll share some expert strategies and easy-to-implement ideas to keep your plants cozy and safe.

Add dry mulch like chipped bark or straw around the base of the garden and potted plants. Do make sure to apply a layer of 1-2 inches. You can also go for leaf mold or piles on garden beds for extra cold protection.

Before the winter approaches, keep plants near a south or west-facing wall for better heat absorption and radiation.

Sheltered positions like next to fences, under large evergreen trees, pergolas, or in sunny patio/courtyard areas are the best locations to keep plants extra warm.

Pro Tip: For early-flowering plants like magnolias and camellias, avoid exposing them to morning sun to prevent rapid defrosting, which may lead to blackening and bud drop.

Protecting plants from frost is simple – bring them indoors! This is great if you have most of your green buddies in containers.

You can keep them in the basement, garage, porch, or frost-free greenhouse for overwintering. Just make sure they get a few hours of indirect sun exposure every day.

For protecting larger garden plants and shrubs, cover them with horticultural fleece. Alternatively, you can also go for used blankets or bedsheets to create a protective layer.

Put stakes around your plants and make a tent-like structure. Weigh down the corners to prevent covers from blowing away at night, and remove them during the day.

A Tip: For a less obtrusive option, use wire netting filled with bracken or leaves to keep the cold away.

Your watering routine can impact how to protect plants from frost, surprisingly. Watering in the late morning or early afternoon,