Protecting Young Vegetable Plants in Spring
Spring is a time for new beginnings, and that includes getting your vegetable garden started. But if you live in a climate with late frosts or cold winds, you need to take steps to protect your young plants. Here are a few tips on how to do just that:
Cloches: Instant Protection
Cloches are a quick and easy way to protect young plants from the elements. They are essentially mini-greenhouses that you place over your plants. You can buy cloches or make your own out of recycled materials like plastic bottles.
Cloches work by trapping heat and moisture around your plants. This creates a microclimate that is warmer and more humid than the surrounding air. This can help to protect your plants from frost, wind, and even hail.
Heat Mats: Warmth for Cold Nights
If you have access to electricity in your greenhouse, you can use a heat mat to protect your plants at night. Heat mats are placed under your plants and provide a gentle warmth that can help to keep them from getting too cold.
When using a heat mat, be sure to follow the manufacturer’s instructions carefully. You don’t want to overheat your plants, as this can damage them.
Fleece: A Breathable Blanket
Horticultural fleece is a lightweight, breathable fabric that can be used to protect plants from cold temperatures. It is often used in conjunction with cloches or heat mats.
Fleece works by trapping heat and moisture around your plants, but it also allows air to circulate. This helps to prevent your plants from getting too hot or humid.
Unheated Greenhouses: Protection from the Elements
If you have an unheated greenhouse, you can still protect your plants from the cold by using cardboard, old curtains, bubble wrap, or anything else you have on hand. Simply drape the material over your plants to create a barrier between them and the cold air.
You can also place stones, bricks, or pieces of slate in your greenhouse to warm up during the day and release heat at night. This can help to raise the temperature in your greenhouse by a few degrees.
Additional Tips
- Always have some protection on hand, such as a cloche or some horticultural fleece, so that you can quickly cover your plants if cold weather is forecast.
- Keep ventilation holes open during the day to prevent your plants from overheating.
- Close ventilation holes at night to trap heat and moisture around your plants.
- Use a min-max thermometer to help you decide when you need to give your plants extra protection.
- If you don’t have cloches, you can use recycled plastic bottles or old net curtains to protect your plants.
- Instead of fleece, you can use a few layers of old net curtain to protect your plants.
By following these tips, you can protect your young vegetable plants from the cold and give them a head start on the growing season.