Winter protection for plants »How to protect them from frost

Winterize perennials

Many perennial shrubs are frost hardy and need little winter protection. Do not cut long shoots too low above the ground, as these act as natural frost protection.

You do not have to prune some ornamental grasses at all before winter. Only with very large specimens do you shorten the inflorescences and loosely tie the stalks together with a coconut rope. This prevents the heart from getting wet and freezing to death. For grasses that rot easily, you should also put reed mats around the plant in the shape of a tent.

It has proven useful to put a warm blanket of brushwood and / or a layer of leaves between the perennials. This prevents the soil from drying out too much and the plants from dying of thirst. In addition, beetles find shelter here and earthworms find valuable food.

Pile up roses

When protecting roses in winter

it is important to protect the grafting point at the base of the shoot from the cold. Fir branches or are suitable for this Pine mulch. You should not use soil, as mold and rot can develop under this dense layer. Avoid piling up leaves with roses, as these promote diseases.

The shoots of the roses always freeze back from the top. Therefore, do not shorten the plants too much. Stuff the crown of delicate rose trees loosely with wood wool or straw and then wrap it in air-permeable sackcloth.

Protect trees and bushes from frost

• If you have planted new trees in autumn, you should Tree grate Cover with straw, leaves, bark or pine mulch. This overlay protects the roots so that the trees sprout again at the base in spring and grow nice and dense.
• Smaller shrubs could freeze back a lot in winter. Protect their shoots with brushwood, jute or reed mats.
• In the case of intense solar radiation, the warming can cause tensions in the bark and wood, known as frost cracks. This can be prevented by the reflective effect of a white coating with milk of lime.
• In sunny locations exposed to the wind, evergreen bushes such as rhododendrons evaporate a lot of water under appropriate weather conditions. Due to the frozen soil, the roots can no longer absorb and replace the evaporated liquid. Therefore, water the bushes on frost-free days even in winter and cover the soil with a thick layer of leaves or compost.
• Climbing plants such as clematis or Climbing roses Protect yourself from the cold with sticks tucked into the trellis like roof tiles.