Protecting Plants During A Weather Change

There are more than 400,000 different land species of plants on Earth, many of which can be found in your yard. Plants are fantastic to have in your yard since they can add personality and color to your property, but sometimes, they can be challenging to take care of. This is especially true if some weather change affects a plant’s growth or perhaps even damages or kills it.

So, how can you protect your plants against weather changes throughout the year? Keep reading to learn more about the different steps one can take to protect their plants from excessive heat and cold.

Protect Your Plants Against Hot Weather

When the weather gets hotter and hotter, your outdoor plants might not be prepared for the heat. Of course, some plants are much more resistant to hot weather than others and might even thrive in the heat. On the other hand, some plants may wither and even die if you don’t give them special attention during the hotter months.

If you think some of the plants on your lawn are starting to deteriorate due to the summer heat, there are a few things you can do to ensure their health. The first step of plant care is the most obvious: keep your plants hydrated.  

You should avoid watering your plants in the middle of the day. The sun will start drying out the water as soon as you add it to the soil.

So, the plants won’t have enough time to get themselves hydrated. Instead, waiting until the evening or night to water your plants is best. That way, the sun will be out of the picture, and the temperature will drop somewhat. Then, your plants have all night to suck up that water.

Another way to protect your plants from the hot sun is to use a shade cloth. A shade cloth is exactly what it sounds like: it is a cloth you can set up over your plants so they’re not in direct sunlight. That way, the sun won’t have a chance to burn the delicate leaves of the plants, and the temperature around the plants won’t get as hot either.

Planting your plants around shady areas such as fences is also a good idea. For example, if you put some plants up against a tall fence, like a wooden fence, the wall will shade the plants for a good portion of the day. That way, you won’t have to worry about your plants getting too hot or dry.

Protect Your Plants Against Cold Weather

Cold weather can be just as damaging as hot weather when it comes to plant maintenance and health. If the temperature suddenly drops or frosts, your plants might end up stunted or even die. The first thing you need to do is keep track of the weather forecast and frost dates.

Weather forecasts should tell you all about the probability of frost or if there is any chance of a drop in temperature in the days ahead. If so, you can prepare your plants ahead of time.

The best thing you can do is buy some row covers for your plants. A row cover is a polyester piece of cloth designed to cover a long row of plants. This piece of cloth will insulate the plants and keep them from getting covered in frost.

Keep in mind that the cloth should not touch the plants directly, as it might crush them. Instead, the cloth should be propped up with poles or other objects. It is imperative to use these coverings at night since temperatures tend to drop.

You can take the coverings off when the sun comes out the next day so the plants have a chance to warm up and photosynthesize. If you don’t have row covers, you can always use towels or old shirts to cover your plants in a similar way. Besides covering your plants, you should also plan ahead and keep them along your house, a fence, or another barrier.

For example, if you keep your plants along a wall or a fence, the cold wind won’t have the chance to affect your plants. Also, the plants will be more insulated in a smaller and more enclosed area. Keep this in mind before you plant anything.

Protecting Your Plants From Weather Change

Keeping your plants protected from weather change can be difficult, but it’s not impossible if you plan. During the summer, use shade clothes to keep your plants hydrated and out of direct sunlight. During the colder months, protect your plants from frost at all costs by covering them with cloth and positioning them in more enclosed areas if you can.

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