Protect Your Garden from Frost This Winter
23/12/2013
As the weather is taking a frosty turn, don’t waste any time in protecting your garden against the harsh frosty weather.
Frosty days can cause the water in plant cells to freeze which can damage the cell walls and when this happens they become limp and blackened. When the sun comes out the plants will defrost quickly which can rupture their walls.
The stronger plants and even evergreens can be affected by the cold frosty weather when their soil freezes. They are unable to receive any moisture which can be fatal!
Spread a thick layer of mulch around their base which will allow them to hold moisture during the cold weather and prevent them from becoming dehydrated.
If you have fragile plants which are grown in pots these can be taken inside during the winter months.
It’s not always the freezing temperature which damages the plants but the freezing and thawing cycle. Avoid covering rose plants with mulch as this can sometimes do more harm than good!
There are a number of different materials that can be used to help prevent this which will cover the surface of the soil, these can include bark chippings and leaf mulch.
A great addition to any garden would be a garden shredder which will provide you with all of the protection your garden will need.
Using both leaf mulch and bark chippings will help provide a protective layer over the soil and give your plants much needed nutrients, keep in moisture and keep the roots of fragile plants protected.
Bark chippings can also be used as a decorative feature for your plant pots.
To get started with the mulching for your garden make sure the beds are completely free from weeds. Spread a top layer of mulch over the beds making sure that you leave a small gap around the stems of the plants and spread evenly across the soil
Now is a great time to mulch your garden as the soil is wet and full of moisture. Spreading mulch on the soil now will automatically lock in the the moisture which will also keep the beds safe for when the warmer weather arrives.
When spring arrives all you need to do is rake the mulch off your flower beds and add it to your compost heap.
Just by doing a couple of things now can protect your garden from frost this winter.