While a silver frosting looks gorgeous in our gardens the reality of frost on the ground is not so magical. In order to protect plants from frost during the winter months experts reveal the essential tasks to tackle.
Now you've stopped cutting the grass for the year it's important to undertake a number of other key jobs to give your best plants a better chance of staying healthy during bracing winter temperatures and harsher living conditions. Particularly frost, which has the potential to kill plants, cause damage to lawns and stunt the growth of any fledgling shrubbery.
Follow these essential winter lawn care tips and practical garden chores checklist to protect your plants and keep your plot in the best possible condition throughout the cold, wet and frosty winter months.
8 essential tips to protect plants from frost
“Dealing with frost is an annual battle that every gardener faces, and while some damage is almost inevitable, there are several easy methods you can deploy to significantly reduce the impact it has on your plants and lawn," says Josh Novell, garden expert and director of Polhill Garden Centre.
“Frost doesn’t have to undo all of the hard work you have done throughout the year in your garden, and taking some time to prepare your outdoor space in the right way before the temperatures drop will make your life a lot easier come the spring.”
1. Trim and prune for prevention
Give your plants the best chance of surviving the cold winter months by carrying out essential pruning maintenance to remove dead branches that could potentially spread disease to healthier parts of the plant.
"Before the first frost, you should prune your garden to help lower the chance of illness and damage," says Josh. "Eliminating sick or dead branches and stems improves airflow and avoids moisture accumulation, which can cause problems with frost."
"Prune dormant shrubs and trees in December to encourage healthy growth," advises Amy Stubbs, project and development manager at British Garden Centres. "Shape hedges, grape vines, clematis, and fruit trees. December is the best month to prune climbing roses, removing any diseased or damaged growth. Guide new shoots for support to encourage a beautiful spring display."
Josh has over six years' worth of experience in the horticulture industry. He began his career as a strategy manager before working his way up to become a director and is now a key part of the day-to-day running of Polhill Garden Centre.
2. Apply a layer of mulch to preserve soil
As the temperature starts to drop it's crucial to protect the soil from frost and extreme weather conditions. A layer of insulation is key, by way of mulch.
"Applying a layer of mulch around the base of your plants can provide insulation and help retain moisture in the soil," says Amy. "Organic mulches, such as shredded leaves or bark chips, also break down over time, enriching the soil with nutrients."
"The rate at which compost decomposes over the winter months slows down as the temperature cools, so you’ll want to give it a final boost ready for lush, fertile compost ready for use in spring. Turn it – get a garden fork and give it a good turn so that as much air is incorporated as possible."
Top tip: For added protection on chilly nights, Josh suggests: "Wrapping these plants with old bed linens or frost cloths."
Amy is the Project and Development Manager at British Garden Centres and is the daughter of the founder Charles Stubbs. Amy started working on the nursery, before becoming Centre Manager of the flagship store, Brigg. She now oversees development works with the group and heads up the marketing team.
3. Relocate containers and potted plants
Try to limit the impact of the elements on your containers and potted plants, where possible. "Because potted plants are more susceptible to frost damage, bring them indoors or to a covered space like a shed or garage," says Josh.
But where that's not possible fear not, there are still steps you can take to protect your plants from frost.
When rearranging your plants group them together so there's safety in numbers and look to move them to a more secluded area of the garden. "Safeguard potted plants by moving them to sheltered areas," Amy advises.
Look to move them to the side of the house or under an awning to provide a little extra shelter. The bigger the grouping the less exposed each plant is to the winter climate, being huddled together they can reduce the impact of strong winds whipping around each plant for instance.
4. Insulate plant pots with bubble wrap
When it comes to your potted plant a layer of bubble wrap is the equivalent of use wearing the best winter coats– wrapping up warm to beat the cold.
"Potted plants should be grouped together and covered with blankets or bubble wrap to give additional insulation if they can't be brought indoors," says Josh. "Use bubble wrap or specialised container coverings to insulate pots in huge outdoor containers that are too heavy to relocate. By doing this, temperature fluctuations that might harm plant roots are reduced."
"Wrapping the pots in bubble wrap traps warm air around your potted plants," explains Jack Sutcliffe, co-founder of Power Sheds. "Cold weather, particularly frost, causes the water in plant cells to freeze, but bubble wrap can help them to survive harsh winter weather."
5. Wrap tree trunks
The wrapping process doesn't just stop at the pots, you also need to insulate and protect trunks on particularly vulnerable trunks – Banana plants being one example.
"Frost fractures can occur in young trees with thin bark," Warns Josh. "Wrap the trunk with hessian or tree wrap to avoid this. The tree is shielded from potentially harmful excessive temperature swings by this covering."
6. Water in advance to retain heat in the soil
We know the best time to water lawns but we're less likely to know when to water plants and gardens ahead of frost in the winter, but the timing is extremely important during cold weather.
As Josh explains: "Make sure your plants get enough water before the first frost. A day or two before an expected frost, give your soil a thorough watering as moist soil holds heat better than dry soil."
Before warning: "On the other hand, refrain from watering plants in the late evening as they may freeze and become more damaged."
7. Avoid stepping on frosty lawns
Avoid the temptation to crunch over a beautifully frost lawn because this is the worst lawn care mistake you can make during winter. "Frosty grass blades will be frozen from the inside out and are very brittle," warns gardening expert and director of Easy Garden Irrigation, Sean Lade.
"The crunching sound you hear while walking on it is the sound of grass blades breaking. Also, you’ll notice that the grass doesn’t feel springy like it does in spring and summer. When you tread on frozen grass, all the broken glass blades compact down and cover the grassroots. This prevents the roots from getting the water and oxygen your lawn needs to stay healthy."
Not stepping on the lawn is the easiest way to avoid concerning yourself with what to do with a yellow lawn come spring. "When spring comes around, you’ll see yellow patches of dead grass that will not grow back as quickly," says Sean. "If you are a proud owner of an immaculate lawn, I would definitely suggest not treading on it. Even a small dog walking over it can snap the blades."
Sean is an expert at Easy Garden Irrigation, an industry-leading BALI-accredited company. Sean holds in-depth expertise in gardening and horticulture, with a focus on designing efficient irrigation systems. His solutions grace gardens and nurseries across the UK, embodying an environmentally-conscious approach to water usage. Sean is always happy to share knowledge, guiding gardeners and growers through regular training on irrigation best practices.
8. Check and ward off pests
Winter gardens are still prone to pest infestations that can damage plants ahead of next spring. "Check your plants for pests like aphids, spider mites, and scale insects before winter arrives," Josh advises. "These pests have the ability to weaken plants and increase their vulnerability to frost damage. In order to maintain the health of the plants, treat the infestations as needed."
"Winter is the perfect time for pests to invade garden plants and destroy opportunities for growth when spring comes," Jack explains. For a natural remedy to deter pests, Jack suggests trying a dash of garlic to keep them away.
"The pungent smell of garlic will repel any pesky pests without damaging the plants. My top tip is to blend garlic with a little water to create a spray that will be easy to spread around the garden."
When you've spent all year tending to your plot it is essential to do what you can to make your efforts fruitful for next year, to ensure your curated garden trends, best garden shrubs and carefully chosen bulbs continue to bloom next spring.
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