How to Prepare Your Garden for Winter | Frost Protection Tips, by HOSS on YouTube. 22 min 57 s.
- Video length
- 22 min 57 s
- Time to do it
- 2 hours
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Steps
- 10
What you need
Steps
Check the forecast and start a few days before the first freeze. Do not wait until the night temperatures drop, since cold can arrive faster than you expect.
Harvest anything that is ready, especially tender crops. Pick tomatoes, peppers and other warm-season vegetables before temperatures fall near freezing.
Water your plants deeply before the cold arrives. Moist soil holds heat better than dry soil and helps roots survive a freeze.
Drain and shut off your drip irrigation before it freezes. Empty lines, timers and valves so trapped water does not crack them.
Cover frost-sensitive vegetables with row cover or a frost blanket. Drape it loosely over plants and weigh down the edges so wind does not lift it.
Move pots, grow bags and vertical planters closer to the house or into shelter. Group them together to share warmth.
Add mulch or compost around beds and containers. This insulates roots and feeds the soil over winter.
Clean and oil your garden tools before storing them. Remove soil, dry metal parts and sharpen blades so they are ready for spring.
Check greenhouses and cold frames for gaps or loose panels. Seal openings so cold air does not leak in overnight.
After a hard freeze, remove damaged foliage and check plants for damage. Leave healthy covers in place until the cold spell passes.
Tips and common mistakes
Do not cover plants with plastic that touches leaves, since it can freeze them.
Water in the morning, not at night, so leaves dry before temperatures drop.
Cool-season crops like kale and spinach tolerate more cold than tender summer vegetables.
Keep row cover handy all season, since an early frost can come without much warning.
Questions
When should I start preparing my garden for winter?
Start several days before the first expected freeze. Harvest and water first, then cover plants and winterize irrigation as the cold gets closer.
Can I leave my drip irrigation out all winter?
It is safer to drain and shut it off before freezing. Water left in lines and timers can expand and crack the parts.
What can I do after a hard freeze?
Remove damaged foliage and check plants for damage. Leave covers on healthy plants until the cold spell ends.
This guide was drafted from the video's details and general task knowledge. It has not been checked against the full video. Check the video and relevant product instructions before following a procedure. Report a correction.
