Frost Protection
Garden Care Tips for Fall and Winter
Crocus and daffodils announce the arrival of spring if you plant them now. Choose from a variety of colors and bi-colors available now. Enjoy birds in your garden by hanging bird feeders around the yard—you’ll see many different kinds as they migrate through this fall. Mulch asparagus beds with three inches of well-rotted manure. Japanese maples and snowball bushes are some of the most colorful shrubs in the fall; plant them now to give them a head start on spring. Check houseplants for insects, spray leaves with insecticidal soap, and wipe them clean to keep them insect-free.
Protecting Plants from Freezing Weather
Plants vary in their cold tolerance. While zinnias are killed by frost, pansies thrive in cold and even bloom under snow. Tender evergreen shrubs like jasmine vines, fuchsias, citrus, and fragrant rhododendrons can be damaged by severe winter cold, but protective measures can help:
- Trap rising ground heat with clear plastic or similar materials.
- Move plants to sheltered locations.
- Spray with an antitranspirant like Cloud Cover for a few degrees of protection.
Covering plants with plastic or lightweight fabric (N-Sulate) makes a significant difference. When using plastic:
- Create a light frame to prevent contact with leaves (freezing occurs at touchpoints).
- Open the cover during the day to prevent overheating—temperatures can exceed 100°F under closed plastic in an hour of sunlight.
- Add Christmas tree lights inside the frame for extra warmth.
- On extremely cold nights, place an aluminum space blanket (aluminized side down) over the plastic to retain 99% of heat.
N-Sulate is a floating row cover that traps heat and moisture, raising temperatures beneath it by 6–8°F. It’s lightweight enough to drape over plants and porous enough to leave on during the day, but secure it against wind.
Cloud Cover, an acrylic polymer spray, forms a clear, flexible film that reduces water loss in winter. Spray in late fall when temperatures are above 40°F; the coating breaks down in about four months. It’s also useful for cut Christmas trees, wreaths, and greens to retard needle drop.
Keep plants well-watered in freezing weather, especially container plants, which are vulnerable to desiccation. Apply protective measures this month before severe winter cold arrives.