How to protect plants in winter

The first winter frosts and the first snow fall in November. Many plants grown in Polish gardens need protection. Some plants can spend the winter outdoors, while others need frost protection.

What types of plants need frost protection?

Those plants which do not tolerate frost:

- conifers

- roses

- chrysanthemum

- hydrangea

- barberry

- rhododendron

- heat-loving trees

- young trees

Evergreens such as larches, cypresses, mahogany and rhododendrons, even if they are frost-resistant, can be damaged by extreme cold or winds. Therefore, they also need protection.

When and how to protect from frost?

Do not cover too early, as this causes overheating plants and may lead to damping bark and budding. Plants should be covered when the temperature drops to -5...-7°. Too early a shelter can cause plants to suffocate, and too late - to freeze. One or two months before the shelter, you need to stop feeding the plants with nitrogen fertilizers, water them generously and carry out sanitary cutting.

Fruit tree winter protection

Young fruit trees are usually protected because older ones become frost-resistant. You should whitewash and cover the plants with earth mounds. Shoots and young branches can be covered with agricultural fabric or other breathable material. Old fruit trees are protected from frost by whitewashing the trunks and thicker branches. The procedure is repeated 2-3 times during the winter. Peaches and nectarines are quite sensitive to frost.

Rhododendrons are extremely sensitive to frost, so they must be carefully protected. Make a protective mulch (needles, bark, sawdust) 15-20 cm high around the plant in winter.

Biennial and perennial plants are usually mulched.

Usually, shoots of conifers are used.

Any cover material should be breathable. The most popular materials for covering:

- agrofiber

- polyethylene

- burlap

- hilling

- mulching

In cold, snowless winters, young seedlings (especially trees and shrubs of the first year of planting) can not only be damaged but also die. Young trees, especially annuals, are more sensitive to frost than adults. Therefore, they need to be carefully covered for the winter.

Be sure to cover conifers with a thick mesh or burlap to help protect them from the bright winter and spring sun, as burns can occur, and tie up the pine trees to prevent wet snow sticking and breaking the crown.

When to remove the shelter?

The shelter should be removed step by step to prevent the plant from stress; young trees can be taken off when the air temperature stabilizes at a level of at least 5-7 degrees above zero.

So, in summary, here are the basic rules for protecting plants during the winter:

- Cover plants when the temperature drops to -5...-7°.

- Do not cover the plants too early, as this can lead to overheating and bark damping.

- Before covering the plants, stop feeding them with nitrogen fertilizers, water them abundantly and carry out sanitary pruning.

- For shelter, you need to use materials that allow air to pass through.

- The cover should be removed gradually so that the plant does not get stressed.