Frost Protection For Your Plants in Spring or Fall Gardens

Challenge: It is two weeks past the average frost date for our area and I have transplanted my vegetables into my outdoor garden that I had  started indoors several weeks ago.  However, now the weather man has predicted frost the next two days.  How can I protect my plants from frost?

Solution: Whether it is spring or fall, unseasonably freezing temperatures can damage or kill plants in your garden. If you have vegetables planted that are not frost hardy (cool weather vegetables), and unexpected spring or autumn frost is predicted, there are some things you can do to help protect your plants from frost.

• Make sure you water your garden during the warmer part of the evening before the sun sets. This allows your plants to release some moisture throughout the night that will be warmer than the surrounding air.
  
  
• You can use a coldframe or planthouse during the night and remove it in the morning to prevent overheating, while allowing fresh air to circulate around the garden plants.
  
  
• Some materials that can be found in the home and although they can be unsightly, they are better than nothing when you need emergency frost protection. These include:
  • Tarps
  • 2-liter capped soda bottles with the bottom cut off to place over the plant in the ground. Also, plastic milk jugs. *
  • Bed sheets and towels that can go over stakes and even over the soda bottles.
  • Slip covers used on furniture
  • Newspapers (a bit of caution, they tend to blow away)
  • Lounge lawn chairs can be put between the rows and used as frames for sheets.
  • Inverted nursery pots
  • Tupperware

• You may want to plan ahead for the coming years and purchase garden season extender products for frost protection. In addition to providing frost protection, they can be used to get a jump start on spring planting, extending the growing season in autumn or to harden off plants before transplanting in your spring or fall garden, as well.
  • Frost blankets - A frost blanket covers plants to increase air and soil temperature
  • Plant Protection Bag - similar to the frost blanket. Use to cover container plants and small shrubs.
  • Greenhouses - container plants can be moved inside before autumn frost. Keep in mind that a greenhouse doesn't necessarily need to be some big, hard-sided building. Some are very small, portable and fold down to store nicely.
  • Floating Row Covers - placed over plants similar to frost blankets with a green house look. Great for small seedlings.
  • Portable Cold Frames  or PlantHouses - Either hard-sided or folding  frames that are essentially mini greenhouses and come in a variety of sizes and are placed over plants.

Cool weather vegetables found in the fall garden or winter garden can handle the occasional frost and grow best when daily temperatures are between 55 to 75 degrees. Cool weather vegetables include broccoli, head lettuce, cabbages, cauliflower, etc.

* When using plastics as a covering material, do not let the plastic touch the plants. If frost forms on the plastic and it is touching the plant, this part of the plant will also freeze.

See our selection of:
Portable Cold Frames  or PlantHouses
Greenhouses
Floating Row Covers

Related articles:
Cool Weather Winter Vegetables