Frost In Your Garden

Frost can cause many problems in your garden, and a lot of people are usually caught out by early or late frosts.

The best way to tell if a frost is possible is to check outside at night, if it’s cold and there are no clouds, it’s very likely, especially during the late Autumn and Winter months, even into early Spring.

The moisture that your plants hold will freeze when temperatures go into minus figures, this will normally affect just plants outside, but if the temperature gets very low then even plants in your greenhouse could be affected.

Always avoid placing plants which are tender to frost where they will catch the morning sun, if their moisture freezes and the sun then hits them, it can rupture the plant cell’s walls.

Try not to feed your plants until the warmer months either, as they will start to grow green and soft which is more vunerable to frost. 

You are best to protect crops with a layer of fleece, like the fleece tunnel in the image and place a thin layer of fleece over greenhouse plants too.

Bubble insulation is a good investment at this time of year, it will help to keep the air in your greenhouse warmer for longer, so if you use a heater, it will also be more cost effective.

If you’ve been too late and frost damage has already happened, then don’t panic. You can still help your plants. 

First of all make sure to cut off and brown stems or foliage, next set up some protection by wrapping with fleece if the icey weather has been forecast to last a long time.