Depending on your climate zone now it’s time to get your garden ready for winter. However, it is a general fact that growing plants during frosty winter season can prove to be a challenge, even for some of the more experienced gardeners. If you have the space for it in your backyard and you enjoy the beauty and peacefulness of tin plants, then chances are you already have a gorgeous flower garden. Or, perhaps growing flowers in your garden is part of your idea of creating a stunning landscape.
Maybe you decided to change your lifestyle and eat healthier, a feat that cannot be truly achieved unless you grow your own vegetable garden. Who knows, it could be that gardening is your newly discovered hobby that you can’t get enough off. Irrespective of the reasons why you decided to have a flower or vegetable garden, it is important to protect the plants from the low temperatures, frost and snow this winter.
Here are some ideas:
1. Simple Blankets and Sheets
If you happen to have a bunch of old sheets and blankets that you don’t really use anymore, then you can utilize them to safeguard your flowers and vegetables from the cold and snow. More often than not, this method works best for climates that are relatively arid, because in order for this solution to functions the blankets and sheets must remain dry.
2. Cold Frames
The cold frames constitute the upgraded version of placing clear plastic covers over the plants. The main advantage of this mechanism consists of the fact that it provides more sunlight and it can trap solar heat, as both factors are beneficial for your flowers/vegetables. In fact, the frame usually integrates a slopped top that allows your plants to enjoy a maximum sun exposure throughout the cold season. On a side note, if you live in a very cold region with harsh winters, then a cold frame with a built-in heating source is a great alternative.
3. Cloches
The cloches or hot caps, as they are better known, are usually one of the best options for vegetables that typically grow no further than 8 inches apart. Essentially, if you have eggplants, peppers or tomatoes in your garden, then you could easily shield them from the cold by creating individual protectors made from clear plastic bottles, glass jars, milk jugs, etc. However, when the temperatures get very low, it is best to cover the vegetables with hot caps with built-in heating sources.
4. Clear Plastic
In the eventuality that you are living in a geographical area that sees a lot of snow during the winter, placing clear plastic films on top of your tin plants is usually a good way to protect them from the frost and cold. While the technique is overall efficient, it is necessary to mention that the plastic cover should be slightly higher than your flowers/vegetables as otherwise they will freeze. In addition, the fact that the plastic is clear allows you to see though and analyze how your tin plants are doing, so you can act immediately if this method fails.
5. Floating Row Covers
The floating row covers enjoy a great popularity in commercial vegetable/flower growing settings as their wind and frost protection properties allow earlier planting and later harvesting. You don’t need to worry about damaging more fragile plants because the covers are lightweight. In addition, these covers can be utilized on long term, they allow sunlight to reach the tin plants and usually provide great results.