Out On A Limb / December 2006

Frosty The Garden

Cold weather, particularly with frost, causes water in plant cells to freeze, damaging the cell wall. Frost-damaged plants are easy to spot, their growth is limp and distorted. Evergreen plants often turn brown and leaves of tender plants become translucent. Frost problems are intensified when plants face the morning sun, since they defrost quickly, rupturing their cell walls.

Even hardy plants and tough evergreens can be damaged by prolonged spells of severe cold when the soil becomes frozen. Roots are unable to take up water and plants die from lack of moisture.

Prevention is far better than cure, so steps to minimize damaging effects of cold are more effective than first aid.

Golden or variegated plant varieties are often more tender than their all green counterparts, so choosing solids when planting can make winter less damaging. Avoiding high-nitrogen fertilizers is a helpful preventive measure, since they encourage plants to generate sappy, leafy growth that is particularly susceptible to damage, especially early and late in the year.

Tender specimens should be planted in sheltered spots, under large trees and shrubs or against walls to give them some heat and protection during the winter.

Leaving the old growth of tender plants unpruned over the winter months can help to protect the central crown of the plant and take the brunt of any frost damage. If plants are cut back hard in autumn, new growth can be damaged by frost.

Remember that cold air and frost always descend to the lowest point in a garden so avoid planting tender plants in obvious frost pockets.

How to protect plants from cold effects will depend on the type of plants and the situation they are growing in.

Plants that are trained against walls or tender plants growing in the open ground can be protected with simple, fleece-covered frames. Alternatively, sandwich a layer of dried leaves or straw between two large sections of chicken wire and use this to cover plants during frosty evenings. Tender bulbs, corms and tender, herbaceous plants that die back should be covered with a thick mulch, straw or old leaves to prevent the soil from freezing. In the spring, new shoots can be protected with a loose layer of straw.

Even evergreen plants will benefit from a thick layer of mulch around their bases to keep the soil frost-free. This will allow them to take up moisture during periods of cold weather and keep them from becoming dehydrated.

Frosted plants aren’t necessarily lost for good-many will recover with time. Still, minimize damage by protecting them from the morning sun. If the plants can’t be moved, try covering them with a layer of black plastic to block out the sun.

In the spring, cut frosted growth back to a healthy, new bud, to prevent further die back and encourage plants to produce fresh, new shoots. Feed damaged plants with a balanced fertilizer, one with equal amounts Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Potassium, to encourage strong, healthy growth.

The benefit of snow is that it acts as an insulator, protecting plants from the cold and frost. However, a heavy layer of snow can also cause leaves and branches to break, so it’s important to shake excess snow from the branches of large trees, shrubs and hedges, to prevent them from becoming disfigured by the weight.

Use lengths of string to support the branches of conifers and stop them being pulled out of shape. Branches that move away from the main plant won’t spring back into place when the snow melts.

Avoid walking on snow-covered grass–it will damage the turf beneath and leave unsightly marks on the lawn. It can also encourage the growth of fungal diseases that thrive in cool, damp conditions.

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