Learn how to protect plants from frost & snow, so new garden growth survives an April freeze. Includes simple, step-by-step instructions and tips for making the process go smoothly!
Here in Ohio, the spring weather has been both beautiful and renewing, but so unpredictable! We have had gorgeous days where I could actually smell the arrival of summer, but this week, we had the total opposite. The warm weather had forced blooms and buds early, so my peonies were two feet tall, and some of my hosta plants were halfway up. When I saw the weather report earlier this week, I tried not to panic. We were expecting freezing temperatures, snow, and possibly sleet. What would that do to my plants?
The thought of having no peony blooms quickly spurred me into action. I had never been in this situation before, and I wasn’t sure exactly what to do. So I turned to Google, and was able to come up with a plan that I thought would work for my garden. I knew it was important to take into consideration the size of my plants, and how sturdy they were.
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What You Need
I set off for the garden center, and after some searching, came home with everything I needed to build little greenhouses around my peonies, allium, hydrangeas, and hosta plants. Here’s what I bought:
Steps To Protect
- The very first thing I did was gather some rocks from my garden border to weigh down the edges of the plastic drop cloths. If you don’t have rocks, anything heavy will work. Pavers, bricks, tile, stakes, etc.
- Install the supports around your plants. This takes patience, because the rings are a little tricky. Once I got the hang of it, the process went very quickly.
- I used the plant supports for the peonies, but not for the hydrangeas. Since the hydrangeas have very sturdy branches, I just draped a piece of plastic over each bush, and tied the tape around the base. (I am so sorry…but I don’t have any pictures of the hydrangeas.)
- Once the supports are in place, drape a plastic drop cloth over them, carefully making sure there is plenty of “give” and room for your plants to breathe.
- Use rocks or some other heavy items to weigh down the drop cloths. As you can see in the image below, I used two wastebaskets that I already had to cover two little peonies. Rose cones would also be a good choice if you have them. This method works great for young or very small plants.
From start to finish, the entire process took just a few hours. To cover the hosta plants, I loosely laid a plastic drop cloth over them, and weighed the edges down with some pieces of tile. I knew the plants might get a little smooshed, but it was better than losing the leaves that were already popping through the soil.
When The Snow Came
At this point, I took a deep breath and hoped for the best! The next evening, right on time, the temperatures dropped, and the snow began to fall. Pictured below is what we woke up to the next morning. I am certain that if the peonies had not been covered, they would have been completely weighed down by the very wet and heavy snow. I’m not sure about the other plants, but it’s always better to be safe than sorry! Like most spring storms, the snow melted quickly, and the green grass was back in business by the next day. I left the coverings on until the night temperatures were well above freezing. So all in all, the plants were covered for three days.
Use Your Own Judgement
I heard from some readers who said it wasn’t advisable to use plastic to cover plants. I used it because the forecast was for heavy, wet snow and sleet. I felt that sheets or towels would get too heavy with several inches of snow sitting on them. I’m certain the plant supports would have collapsed if they had been covered with heavy, snow-covered sheets or towels. The daytime temps while my plants were covered never got over 55 degrees, so nothing was in danger of getting too warm. If your weather forecast only calls for frost, the fabric options would work fine. Definitely use what you think will work the best!
This is one of those posts that you may not need now, but if and when the time ever comes, it will be right here at your fingertips. If you have any advice of your own for protecting plants from frost and snow, please leave us a comment. Thank you so much for stopping by and spending part of your day with me. I am so thankful for each and every one of you!
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How did your plants eventually turn out?
I now live in Florida and use landscaping fabric to cover our plants because we only have a chance of frost. I believe that you used the plastic very well. I would have cried if my plants were that big and we got snow. I’m originally from CT, so I know how fickle the weather can be. I had perennials that seemed to forego whatever Mother Nature gave them. Didn’t plant annuals until Memorial Day weekend!
Everything survived and is fine! We just got some rain this week, so it’s all growing like mad. Thank you for asking!
That’s good to know. I just loved my peonies in CT. Wish they grew in Florida.
They all survived beautifully! I completely forgot to cover my clematis though and it is partially brown. Live and learn!
Thanks Ann. We’re here in Norton and had the same amount of snow that day. I have no idea why I purchased 5 small hydrangea plants two weeks ago, but they were there at Dayton Nursery and my husband said he would get them for my April birthday.
He covered each one with a wide flower pot nightly when temps were to drop below 40 degrees. He still continues to do that. My hostas are close to our house and have grown by leaps and bounds. Guess we divide them next spring. Peonies are two years old and did well uncovered. You never know what Mother Nature has in store for us Buckeyes. Your flower garden is my inspiration and little by little mine is gaining a delightful appearance. Have a beautiful spring.
Thanks so much for the tips on covering plants. I never thought about the wire cages. I did use some large plastic buckets, flower pots, and tarps. Sheets and towels work for a frost, but the snow was too much for them.
Hi from Winnipeg Canada!
I leave the Peonies alone over winter, they can stand the cold, and snow is an insulator from the cold. Then it’s milder, and when I stake peonies or anything, I keep a bucket of old shoelaces – from men’s boots, runners, to shoes that I threw out and the laces were still OK. I pound the single stake down, and tie it with a lace around the entire plant. Don’t tie it in a knot, but as a bow, and it comes off easily, as you may have to move it.
about the ants: they are necessary for the plant to create a bud, and then when the ants are on the bud, it will be opening up. Otherwise, the ants don’t stay around. Once the peony starts to bloom they leave. I have mine on the east side of the house – one a pink and one white. They never get moved. To put it in the hot sun is not going to be as great, as they need shade. This makes the blooms last longer.
Hope this helps.
Hope your plants survived the surprise snow. I am m surprised you were told to use plastic. I always heard that was a no no. In Phoenix we usually have one or two freeze nights and we have bins of king sized sheets that come out on those nights to protect the vegetable garden. The key is to bring the cloth all the way to the ground.
Thank you for your comment! I added an update to the end of the post and explained why I chose the plastic. I had no idea anything froze in Phoenix!
Ann, when I saw how someone used a washtub to grow plants, made me think of making fertilizer:
We barbecue whole salmon, and before it is on the grill, I wash it on the lawn in a plastic tub. Get all the scales, guts etc. out and then place the cleaned fish on BBQ foil shiny side in, with your steak seasoning and onions if you like.
Take the water from the tub and using a watering can, no strainer, put fish water and tap water into it, and pour around peppers, tomatoes, rows of vegetables, and you see fish fertilizer at work!