10 Ways To Protect Plants From The Amazingly Loose Savage Climate of Winter
As the cold weather begins, one can notice how the warm-colored beauty of the land starts to disappear. With the laying of snow and the cold winds, plants can either be damaged or even destroyed if proper care is not taken. For garden lovers, keeping plants healthy through the winter months is important because not only do they need to survive, but everyone knows plants also need a lot of attention in the spring. The good news is that gardeners are always developing new methods to keep plants safe during the winter.
This article focuses on 10 ways to keep plants and your precious garden healthy, safe, and sound during the cold months of winter.
Mulching
By far one of the easiest and most effective ways to protect plants during winter is mulching. It is a process where a layer of material, such as straw, leaves, wooden chips, or even plastic, is placed around the base of the plant. This helps protect the roots by providing warmth and stability, keeping them safe from the ever-changing surrounding temperature. The cold snaps that break the weather can cause frost heaving, which is terrible for the roots. Additionally, mulch helps retain moisture and prevents weed growth, becoming the ultimate protector.
Wrapping
Wrapping is especially important for tender or young plants that may not brave the harshness of winter. Some plants can be sheltered from the cold and howling winter winds by wrapping them in burlap, frost cloth, or other insulating material. Wrapping reduces the risk of “sunscald,” where rapid changes in temperature cause the bark of trees or shrubs to crack. Wrapping also reduces the amount of wind that can cause drying damage to evergreen foliage in winter.
Anti-Desiccant Sprays
Evergreen plants are especially prone to losing moisture in winter, even when the ground is frozen. Anti-desiccant sprays provide an extra bit of protection by minimizing the amount of moisture lost from the leaves. These sprays cover the foliage of the plant with a thin layer, reducing evaporation. They are effective on evergreens such as holly, boxwood, and pine trees. These plants benefit from an early application of the spray, helping them retain moisture during the winter months.
Watering and Hydration
Drought stress in woody perennials is much more severe than in herbaceous perennials, and frost is even more critical than moisture. Plants need to hydrate correctly before frost to assist in winter survival. Well-hydrated perennials can withstand freezing conditions and winter stress much better than those that are not hydrated. Hydration is needed before freezing to ensure that below-ground systems endure winter weather.
Cold Frames
Cold frames are smaller and simpler versions of greenhouses that are created to sustain a more controlled atmosphere for individual plants. They are ideal for protecting delicate plants and also for growing in the summer. Cold frames are mostly made using an opaque lid that allows some sunlight to pass through, thereby creating a more balanced internal ecosystem. Plants housed in cold frames collect warmth during the day and, when night falls, provide cover from frost, snow, and ice. Cold frames assist in the growth of veggies and flowers.
Heated Propagators
Heated propagators are devices used to keep plants warm and light, with some even having buttons to set the light levels. These gadgets are extremely handy for growing seed plants indoors. Propagators are also excellent devices for starting seeds indoors, especially during the winter season when cold temperatures are outside. No matter how cold it may be outside, heated propagators are useful for all plants, even in winter.
Indoor Wintering
Many tender plants, such as geraniums, ferns, and orchids, are typically kept indoors during winter. Some of these plants can even be potted. Before taking these plants indoors, check for diseases and pests so they don't get carried inside. Most houses provide enough light and humidity to keep these plants alive. Stressed plants usually show signs of yellowing leaves and poor growth. These types of plants are known to survive winter the best, especially in indoor settings.
Root Pruning
Although it may seem unreasonable, root pruning can be vital to ensure a plant survives the winter. Root pruning involves cutting a plant’s roots and is done to loosen plants before a frost. Root pruning helps control a plant’s size, prevents it from becoming root-bound, and reduces winter plant damage. It also helps the plant’s structure. While it may seem extreme, it is beneficial to the plant’s vegetation.
Windbreaks
Plants, especially tall and exposed ones, can suffer from winter’s chilling gusts. These winds can dry out a plant’s tissue, causing desiccation. One of the best ways to guard against these winds is with windbreaks. Windbreaks can be fences, burlap screens, or even rows of evergreen bushes. Evergreens and similar plants can greatly reduce the strength of the winds reaching the intended plants, preserving moisture not only in the soil but also in the plant’s foliage.
Choosing Plants That Can Withstand Colder Temperatures
To make sure the plants thrive throughout winter, it would be ideal to choose species that are cold-hardy. Cold-hardy are the plants that can endure the freezing temperature, heavy snow, and the worst of frost. If you choose the plants that are native to the selected area or are cold-resistant, you will be pleased with how little care the plants need. Lavender, peonies, and hostas are some cold weather varieties that need very little care.
Conclusion
To make sure winter does not remove all of the beauty from the garden, a blend of mulching, wrapping, and planting appropriate cold hardy plants can assist in their survival and growth throughout the winter. While some of these techniques in preparing the garden for planting may take additional time, the final result of having a garden that thrives in the spring is a good reward.
If you want to get a head start on your garden or need help picking plants that are appropriate for your area, check out TN Nursery, an online nursery with a large selection of plants and gardening accessories that will help your garden flourish throughout the year.
FAQs
How do you protect plants in the winter?
There are many different approaches to caring for plants during winter, these approaches include: using mulch, anti-desiccant sprays, bath watering, and wrapping plants in modified burlap, using cold-hardy plants, and cold frames.
What is the 3-year rule for plants?
In their initial three years, newly transplanted plants are said to be in the settling period. They are acclimatizing to their new location and setting roots, so during this time, they are left to work during the extremes of their system.
How do I keep my plants alive in winter?
To maintain your plants during winter, make sure to hydrate them appropriately before the frost period, provide them with mulch and wraps, cold frames, and select plants with low tolerance to the cold.
How to protect potted fruit trees in winter?
To protect potted fruit trees during winter is to take them inside, put them in a sheltered area outside, wrap the pots in insulating layers, and make sure you provide the right amount of watering.
Is it alright to cover plants with plastic bags in order to protect them from frost?
Yes, plastic bags are helpful in protecting plants from frost. Only make sure the frost doesn‘t touch the leaves, and take the bag off during the day to avoid excess condensation and mold.
What is the 70/30 rule in gardening?
The 70/30 rule is a rule to a gardener which states that 70% of your gardening efforts should be concentrated on the soil, the health of the plants and the surrounding atmosphere along with the remaining 30% which should be distributed over particular activities like, pruning, watering, and pest control, that can be categorised as maintenance.
