Protecting Plants Against Winter Cold

With winter 2013 upon us, expects say that now is the time to prepare for cold protection for tender landscape plants. Before your clients' yard becomes a winter wonderland, brush up on the basics for keeping plants protected from winter frost.

Covering Plants

Cover any plants that can't be move. Add extra mulch around the plant's root system. Cover plants in the late afternoon, before nightfall, so heat from the ground will be captured.

When selecting covers, make sure to use blankets. Never use plastic, as it can actually remove heat and damage any part of the plant it touches. Cloth sheets and blankets, quilts, and commercial frost cloth all serve well to protect plants.

Make sure that covers reach all the way to the ground and are weighted down to prevent the wind moving them or cold reaching the plants below. For hard freezes, light bulbs can be used under covers, but make sure they're not in direct contact with the plant or cover. Old tomato cages, sawhorses, and other items can help "tents." Make sure to remove covers the next morning. The plant will benefit from the exposure to sun and warmth without "cooking' under the blanket, or thinking winter has ended early.

Finally, leave alone any plants with dead foliage – dead material acts as insulation for plants and keeps them protected from producing new growth before they should. Wait until late February or early March when all danger of frost is over to fix frost damage. This includes lawn treatment.

Make sure the last mowing of the season leaves the grass higher than usual for better cold protection, and stop watering to allow the lawn to go naturally dormant.