How to Protect Your Garden During Winter

plant leaves with frost

Here we are again in the midst of winter. A few nights of frost and a little bit of snow can be a significant problem in that garden you spent so much time perfecting.

If you’re worried about it suffering because of the cold weather, don’t despair, as the following are some ways to protect your garden during winter;

Get Ready in autumn

Temperatures began to fall towards mid to late autumn so this is the time to prepare for the approaching winter.

Be aware of the plants that are more susceptible to the cold and move them into a container to put inside the greenhouse.

Or, find out which parts of the garden are warmer and be more strategic in where you plant certain things. Areas with more sunlight are always warmer than the parts that aren’t as bright.

A little forethought and planning in autumn could make the difference between saving your plants and a looming disaster.

Prepare for the Cold Nights

If the weather forecasts a cold night or the skies are clear, take measures to protect your flowers and vegetables. Some plants and veggies can survive a few nights of frost, but they probably won’t see the end of winter.

The best way to protect your garden when this happens is to cover everything with a large sheet of garden fabric or a tarpaulin. As you wrap the plants, it provides a little insulation and stops ice crystals from developing on the roots or leaves, which can be deadly if left untreated.

Water with Care

When the weather is cold, less water is needed to survive, as the roots don’t absorb as much compared to the warmer seasons. If the soil is dry, do your watering around midday, especially when the sun is out.

Ideally, you want to water the garden at the warmest part of the day to prevent freezing and ice crystals forming in the roots.

Protect the Plant Pots

It’s not just the plants in the soil that are at risk in the colder weather. If you have flowers in containers or pots, they can just as quickly fall victim to frost.

The fastest way to provide insulation is by wrapping bubble wrap or a sheet around the outside of the pots and containers. This keeps the heat in and the cold out. If you have a greenhouse, move your plant pots in there to be safer.

Know When You’re Defeated

Sometimes even the best gardeners lose out to the bitter cold, with their gardens succumbing to frost. Every now and again the temperatures plummet to well below zero and that, in turn, can have disastrous effects on your garden, even if you’ve done everything you can to save them.

If this happens, accept the loss and pull up the dead plant matter, throw it away and start preparing for spring.

Surviving the winter

The key to surviving even the toughest of winters is to prepare in advance. If you start planning in autumn and move the more sensitive ones to the greenhouse or warmer parts of the garden, you’ve already won half the battle. And when frost is predicted, get the garden sheets out to cover your flowers.

Follow these simple suggestions, and your garden will survive the winter and flourish in springtime.