How to Cover Plants for Frost Protection

QUESTION: What is the best cover to use to protect outdoor plants from the cold air — fabric or plastic? Threat of frost usually occurs overnight when the temperature drops low enough to freeze the moisture on plant leaves and buds. To protect plants from frost, you will need to cover them to keep the moisture from freezing. While an unexpected frost can leave many gardeners scrambling to find anything to cover their tender plants; it is important to use the …

What is frost, and what does it mean for your garden?

Ice crystals form at temperatures below 32°F, when water vapor condenses out of the air and settles on a cool surface, such as your garden beds or garden plants. Frost is just a frozen form of dew, and it damages plants by freezing the water inside the plant cells, which then burst and die. A light frost can occur at 30-32°F. There’s a touch of white on the ground, but it’s short-lived; as soon as the sun hits it, it’s …