5 Ways to Protect Plants from Frost

When the skies are clear and there’s moisture in the air, you’re likely to find frost on the ground in the morning. While most of your lawn and some plants will bounce back, others may not survive a frosty night. At Nature’s Select Triangle, we see frost-bitten plants more often than we care to. While we can help you prepare your trees, shrubs, and lawn for the colder months, we can’t always predict cold nights. So, here are some unique ways you can protect plants from frost.

1. Bring Potted Plants Indoors

Your potted vegetation loves the outdoors. Access to the sun and rain is essential for healthy plants throughout much of the year. Still, potted greenery is vulnerable and susceptible to frostbite since it doesn't have the luxury of being embedded in the warm earth. 

2. Add Mulch to Your Beds

Adding a thick layer of mulch to your flower beds will ensure their root systems stay well-insulated. If you don't have mulch handy, you can also use straw, wood chips, or leaves. Any organic matter is better than nothing.

3. Cover Individual Plants

Protecting all your individual plants from frost is no easy task. However, you might try the cloche route. A cloche is a bell-shaped covering, usually made from a plastic jug or glass jar. Keeping your plants covered with these will ensure that they stay warm and cozy.

4. Use a Blanket

Most homeowners aren't always prepared for a frost. If you fall into this category, one of the easiest ways to cover large sections or entire flower beds is to use a blanket or sheet. But before you throw the blanket over your vegetation, put plastic stakes in the ground to create a tent.

5. Wrap Your Trees

Trees younger than four years old are very much in danger of frost damage. Severe frost injury can kill these youngsters, which means you should take extra care. The best way to protect them is to wrap them in burlap cloth, towels, or blankets. 

Protect Your Landscaping

Winter is hard on your entire landscaping, no matter how hardy your plants are. At Nature's Select Triangle, we do everything we can to help Chapel Hill, Pittsboro, and Durham residents protect their plants from severe frost or winter weather. Beyond those services, learn how we also treat trees for disease, protect boxwood foliage, and prevent lawn disease by working with nature. Contact us today at (919) 240-4239.