Garden: 5 Tips To Protect Pots From Frost

In winter, frost can cause damage to potted plants. Not only can it kill the root system of your plantings, but it can also cause your terracotta pottery to crack. That's why it's important to take several protective measures in your garden. We're going to give you 5 tips to protect pots from frost.

Bring the plants inside to safety.

Terracotta is a porous material that absorbs moisture. Therefore, terracotta pots are more susceptible to frost than plastic or resin pots.

The first of the 5 tips to protect pots from frost is overwintering. This term refers to the practice of sheltering plants from the cold by moving them to a frost-free location. If you need to move several plants or large pots, equip yourself with a hand truck.

You have several options for overwintering your potted plants: placing them in a greenhouse or conservatory, in your garage, or in any other unheated shelter. The temperature difference between the outside and the shelter should not be too significant. Otherwise, you will need to acclimate the plants under a lean-to or against a south-facing wall before bringing them in.

Shelter the plants from the wind.

If you cannot move some pots, the second of the 5 tips to protect pots from frost is to shelter them from the wind. Just like humans, plants are sensitive to the wind which cools the atmosphere and causes the felt temperature to drop...

To limit the effects of cold and frost on your plantings, you can install a windbreak in the form of woven panels or reed screens supported by stakes driven into the ground. You can also place your plants against a hedge that acts as a windbreak, making sure to choose a sunny location of course.

3- Elevate the pots.

In winter, the contact of pots with the ground can be a cold bridge. That's why the third of the 5 tips to protect pots from frost is simply to elevate them.

Remove the saucers and place the pots directly on wooden blocks. This preventative measure helps to insulate plants from certain flooring materials that accumulate cold, such as stone slabs, tiles, or concrete.

This trick also prevents rainwater from getting trapped under the pots in case of frost. By creating a space between the pot and the ground, you help water to drain freely.

For the more cold-sensitive plants, you can replace the wooden blocks with an insulating layer of straw or polystyrene.

4- Cover the pots with insulating materials.

Another of the 5 tips for protecting pots from frost is to dress them in a coat for the winter. This is, of course, a metaphor. You won't use wool but other materials that insulate from the cold.

You can cover your flower pots with:
• frost protection fleece.
• bubble wrap because the air bubbles provide good thermal insulation.
• burlap and straw.

This last method involves wrapping the pots in straw and surrounding everything with burlap. To hold it all together, just tie it up without tightening too much.

5- Heel in the plants.

The last of the 5 tips to protect pots from frost is to heel in your plants and bring empty pots indoors for shelter. Heeling in refers to the process of removing plants from their pots in autumn and replanting them in a sheltered spot in your garden.

This slightly more demanding method is useful for protecting beautiful terracotta pots and preventing them from bursting due to the action of frost.

Note: The shape of a terracotta pot determines its resistance to frost. Pots with a narrowing opening are more vulnerable to the pressure exerted by frost than pots with a flared shape.