Substrate padding
When temperatures they drop from 6th, we must take certain precautions to avoid or minimize damage to our plants. The roots of a potted plant are more sensitive to cold than the roots of a plant in the ground, since they are sheltered deep underground.
At risk of frost, not sowing or transplanting, but what do we do with the small plants that we have just transplanted or that are growing?
If there is a risk of frost, it is best that the soil is wet, since this way it will have greater thermal inertia. Water in the central hours of the day
If frost is expected, it is not convenient to pay with fertilizers rich in nitrogen, since, by activating the growth of the plant, they favor the development of tender shoots, which are more sensitive to the effect of the night cold.
Padding the substrate. It is about protecting the roots with products such as geotextile, pine bark, needles, burlap or other organic elements that act as a thermal insulator of the soil. They are distributed above the ground, especially distributed on the roots.
Plants in pots that you can move, take them to the most protected areas of the terrace. In this sense, it is essential to take into account the protection of plants from the cold.
It is also very useful put the pot of a plant in another pot larger and, in the space between the pot and the pot, introduce sawdust, pine bark, peat, coconut fiber, etc. as thermal insulation. at the same time that we protect the substrate with the padding. A very effective cold insulating effect is obtained (double glass effect) that in many cases guarantees the life of the plants.
If the cold is extreme, it is better cover the whole plantespecially at night. If you can, put them near a wall, forming 2 or 3 rows, with the tallest at the back. Install two tall stakes in the end containers and cover them all with textile, geotextile, or burlap. If it is not possible to put them next to a wall, use two chairs or trestles to form a support structure for the fabric. In the middle of the two chairs, he groups the pots, with the tallest specimen in the center and placing a tall tutor. On top, the geotextile or burlap. Remember to uncover them during the day so that they are ventilated and so that the sunlight can reach them.
The pots that you can't moveWrap them in burlap, geotextile, or even a simple towel. This will protect the substrate and prevent the pot from cracking due to the cold. Plastic works well to protect the plants from the wind, but it offers very little protection against the cold.
And for the seedlings, We recently offered you a very effective home solution. You have it in this link.
In addition to covering the roots, it is important to know that the types of suitable plants can make frost protection more effective. Often, extreme weather can be less damaging if we choose species that are already adapted to these conditions.
And of course, greenhouses, which are probably the safest form of protection. They come in all sizes: made of glass, but also made of small, removable plastic modules.
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