You Can Still Save Your Plants From the Cold

Even with the best of planning, the weather doesn’t always cooperate with our gardening ambitions. With lots of unusually cold weather hitting parts of North America, protecting your plants can become a priority. There are some simple steps you can take to help your garden through a cold snap or a winter storm.

Check your plant’s frost hardiness

First, check your plants’ hardiness ratings. Most plants will be rated for a “zone” or region where it’s safe to plant based on the estimated last frost date. But in unseasonable weather, you can use that information to know the safe temperatures for your plants. The coldest climates (zone 1) can get down to -50 degrees Fahrenheit, while the hottest climate (zone 11) can get upwards of 100 degrees. If you have plants rated for zones 1 or 2, you can bet they’re adapted for cold weather, and you don’t need to help them during a cold snap. Plants in warmer zones will need some protection though.

What to do for an overnight frost

For a short-term freeze that lasts only overnight or for a few hours, you can use a sheet to protect plants. This will keep warm air down near the ground, closer to the plant. Using a sheet of plastic on top of a sheet of fabric will give an added layer of warmth. Make sure to use a stake or other support for more delicate plants to protect the leaves from the weight of the cover. Your covers should come off as soon as the air warms up to avoid re-freezing and condensation.

What to do for a hard frost

If you’re expecting a longer cold spell, you’ll need to build your plant a nest of insulation. Some of the foliage will likely be damaged, but your plant can still survive if the roots stay healthy. Use a generous layer of mulch, leaves, or hay around the roots and at the base of the plant. To protect the foliage, use stakes to bundle the branches and leaves as close together as possible, and then wrap the outside of the bundle in burlap. Then, fill in any space with hay or leaves to allow the plant to keep its warmth as close-in as possible. Afterwards, your shrubs and fruit trees might not look very healthy, but if the roots and main vascular system of the plant stays intact, it can sprout new leaves and survive.

Build a mini greenhouse

For gardens on raised beds, you can create a mini greenhouse over top of it by staking out the corners and draping plastic over-top. If you use clear plastic sheeting, it will hold heat in like a mini greenhouse and still allow the plants to get some light. You do want to avoid getting the plastic in direct contact with the leaves, though, because it can cause moisture to collect and potentially cause damage. But building a tent as a temporary greenhouse is a great option to help save your plants.

Make sure your plants are well watered beforehand

Watering the roots of your plants will also help them resist damage from frost. The soil will retain more heat from the sun if it’s damp, so a good soaking will keep the roots a little bit warmer. Making sure that plants are well watered ahead of a freeze will also keep the leaves and branches warmer, as the water inside the plant’s cells creates a layer of insulation within the foliage.

How to care for your plants after the frost

Once the cold has subsided, you should water your plants and make sure they spread out in the sunlight again. Remove all the covers and stakes, and then wait a few days before checking for more damage. Then, prune away dead leaves and damaged branches.