CHANGING temperatures can be tough on our beloved gardens, but the solution to protecting them is already in your house.
Plants are not immune to the cold and the best time of day to tend to them is not when the sun is shining, but as it dips ahead of nightfall.
Our pretty gardens lose lots of heat as the sun sets, which can wreak havoc with their ability to stay strong and grow well.
Lucy Wren is a professional gardener with more than 15 years of experience working at prestigious sites such as, Kew Gardens in London and private five-star hotel estates across the UK.
“People spend time feeding, pruning and watering, but they often forget about thermal protection,”; she explained to Flying Eze.
“As the sun sets, the temperature drops rapidly, and plants lose heat fast.”
Lucy added: “If you cover them at the right time — just as the sun goes down — you help trap in the warmth they’ve stored all day.”;
She recommended getting into the habit of “putting your plants to bed” every night.
“It’s one of the easiest ways to encourage healthier, more resilient growth,”; Lucy said.
There is no need to rush out to buy expensive equipment to keep your plants wrapped up, because some of the best material is probably already in your wardrobe.
Lucy said that using breathable fleece or cloches that insulate but still allow airflow are the best options.
“You don’t want to suffocate the plant — just help it retain the warmth and moisture it already has,”; she added.
The benefits of covering plants are plentiful from reducing overnight heat loss by up to 45 percent, encouraging the best growth in spring time and protecting plants from harmful pests and animals.
It also shield plants from wind damage, preserves moisture in the soil by reducing overnight evaporation and protecting plants from heavy rain or early morning sunlight.
But it's not just plants that need overnight protection, outdoor equipment such as irrigation units and heat pumps need cover too.
“The idea is simple: protect what matters most in your garden before the temperature drops,” said a spokesperson for Heat Pump Covers, an insulation specialist company that has a partnership with Lucy.
“Whether it’s a heat pump or a delicate seedling, insulation and timing make all the difference.”
They added: “Covering up at dusk is a small action with a big impact — smart, practical, and backed by science.”;
