How to Safeguard Your Plants in Winter

Bring potted plants indoor

• Potted plants are those which are grown in a container throughout their life, in winter they should be placed near windows as per their sun requirements, east and west-facing windows get the most light. And in the same way north and south get the least.
• Avoid putting potted plants near vents because it will lead to dryness of plants and they may die soon.
• Cold can damage the plants if they are placed in contact with the window, for that you can build a cold frame or greenhouse. 

Provide them suitable temperature

• Set up all your plants inside your home because in winter it is not suitable to leave plants on the terrace or balcony, seeing your plants always in front of your eyes will give the satisfaction that you are protecting your plants from the breeze and you will get more access to oxygen.
• The suitable temperature for them is ten degrees warmer than what they’d be experiencing outside, they prefer an optimum temperature of 20 to 32 degrees Celsius, and their performance increases most in this temperature.
• Keeping your plants away from windows comes under winter plant protection because the intense direct sun can burn your plants.

Mulch your Garden

• Mulching is a part of winter plant protection, it is a blanket protecting the garden during the winter months, so they will be less exposed to the sun.
• Mulch should be applied two to three inches thick to the soil surrounding them because of the heat and moisture escaping from the soil during the winter months. To protect the vulnerable roots, One should consider wheat or pine straw mulch, they can trap heat effectively and are easily removed in the spring.
• Mulch is a garden miracle, works any time of the year the most common winter problem is the heaving or uplift of soils caused by freeze-thaw cycles. Shallow-rooted plants like Heucherella and gaillardia are out of the ground, exposing the tender crowns and roots to freezing temperatures but mulch solves this problem by keeping soils consistently cold and preventing the disruptive freeze-thaw cycles.

Cover your plants

• Plants can’t survive by themselves so they need special care and some winter plant protection equipment… In the above point, we have discussed how to protect plants by giving them space inside your home but if you are not able to make space, then you can at least cover them up. They still can be saved if they are covered throughout the winter.
• To avoid damaging plants, you should use suitable materials like old blankets, or drop cloths, it prevents coverings from touching branches and leaves and also protects from frost. Winter means strong winds, weigh or tie down your coverings so they don’t blow away. Don’t secure these materials too tightly, plants still need exposure to air and sunshine, coverings will need to be removed during the day.

Construct a cold frame or greenhouse

• Cold frames and greenhouses are the best ways to protect plants from frost. If you are willing to go the extra mile to protect your plants, build a cold frame and greenhouse. They need some advanced construction effort and the results aren’t especially attractive.
•  It involves slender metal rods bent into loops, the ends are then stuck into the soil across a garden row. Here, clear plastic sheeting acts as a covering when it’s placed over the loops, Unlike simple coverings.
• A cold frame is a transparent roofed enclosure, built low to the ground, used to protect plants from frost and traps heat. This is beneficial, but it also means that cold frames need to be ventilated on particularly hot days. The name itself exemplifies the distinction between the warm greenhouse and the unheated cold frame.

Watering tips

• Plants may require less water in winter, always water in the morning, and It should not be cold. Keep them in sunlight if possible, winter plant protection involves watering because it is important to have their basic metabolic functions running.
• The right time to water a plant in winter is when there is a very cold night but not a hard freeze. Because wet soil is better at trapping heat than dry soil but doesn’t water when succulents or frozen soil are there, they should be left alone.
• It is sufficient to water them bi-weekly, watering of plants depends on the variety of the plant and the type of soil being used to grow them.

Install a heat source

• Heat sources for plants are needed when there are extremely cold nights but do not use more than 100-watt light bulbs because if you place them in high temperatures, then it will cause burning to plants. In winter plants can be protected by 100-watt bulbs or Christmas lights are suitable for plants; they will save them on cold windy nights by giving them enough heat to protect.
• Always make sure to water before a freeze, Plants can also be protected with screens or frames erected on the southwest side. Moist soil holds more heat than dry soil, that’s why soils prevent freeze injury to roots.
• Covers should be removed during the daytime. It must reach the root zone to be the most effective. Covers should be removed during the daytime, be careful while tying or staking them around plants but do not bind them, it can cause steam injury.

Get rid of the intruders

• Weeds are also often a sign of underlying issues with your soil, for the removal of weeds is important; they compete with desirable plants for precious natural resources and are often more difficult to eradicate once. They re-establish themselves in the spring.
• Use Man Made pesticides on your garden, hopefully, there are many organic options available, one of them is Adding the vegetable paste to 2c (500 ml) of water, warm the water and directly pour into the blender and stir for 3 sec to mix them, store it in a spray bottle for better use.