Overwintering Hardy + Tender Plants
Many plants face hardship each winter when battling with cool temperatures and frost. To give your annuals the best chance at survival (and protect your investment), become familiar with how resilient your plants are, and which temperatures they can survive by pinpointing their hardiness. Hardy plants can withstand most winter conditions. This includes pansies, peonies, foxgloves, chrysanthemums, and calendulas. These flowers cope well with a bit of frost down to 23 degrees Fahrenheit.
Half-hardy plants can survive a couple encounters with chilly night temperatures (35 - 45 degrees Fahrenheit) and light frost, but anything colder will cause their demise without some type of shelter.
Most tender plants are actually tropical perennials. Tender annuals include begonias, impatiens and zinnia.

Plants in this category can’t handle anything colder than 55 degrees Fahrenheit.
Careful Planting
Minimize the need to winterize your garden by identifying any frost packets prior to planting. A frost pocket is an area of land that has a higher risk of frost, and a longer season of frost. They are most commonly found in valleys, where cold air hovers for longer than surrounding areas, particularly where hedging or other “shelter” traps the cool air, and prevents it from escaping. Avoiding planting any type of florae other than the hardiest species if your garden happens to lie in a frost pocket. If you have plants which are likely to suffer, place them in more sheltered positions such as along a wall, or a spot that gets plenty of sunlight. Depending on how hardy your plant is, when the forecast calls for frost or snow, protecting it may only require you to simply cover it. But more tender plants will need some TLC for the entire season. While sheltering will give them a fighting chance, it does not guarantee that they will survive- especially if they are young or have been weakened by pests or disease (we recommend using Sun Joe's organic pest repellent during warmer weather). If your plant is potted, or small enough to be dug up, you can easily move it indoors for the winter if you have room. Sun Joe digging tools make relocating plants an easy task.Protection Methods
While there are countless ways to protect plants over the winter, Joe is highlighting the best methods which have become the most popular among gardeners. Wire + Straw This technique provides shelter for plants which need permanent protection from Jack Frost.




Most Popular
Recommended Articles