Frost tolerant plants have the ability to survive temperatures of below – 5 degrees Celsius for one to two consecutive days. During this time, they may look sad and injured but afterwards, happy and shining. Waiting for a frost-free season for gardeners to install their plants is frustrating. Most planting guides recommend planting crops after the frost is gone. This leads to lead time where the gardens stay idle and unproductive. The ultimate solution to frost problem is to pick frost-tolerant crops during this season. There are frost-tolerant plants both broad-leafed and narrow-leafed plants with good resistance to the frost and remain evergreen throughout.
Dangers of frost on plants
Frost resistance is indicated through their hardiness. Frost tolerant plants easily resist light freezing without serious damages to the leaves or roots. Non-frost resistant plants have tender leaves and covers that frost can damage easily. Frost can even kill the root system. Freezing season creates a hard moment for most crops but only frost tolerant plants can manage to survive. They can survive with or without physical injuries inflicted by the frost.
Some of the frost-tolerant plants include; sweet peas, rose mallow, forget-me-not, sweet alyssum and many others. Some of the frost-tolerant plants might not survive through extended frost while others might pull through. To protect young sprouted plants from frost, keep them covered or move them to sheltered places until frost is gone. Another way to protect plants from frost is to mulch them. Mulching will protect young sprouting plants from icy weather.
Frost tolerant vegetables
Brassicaceae family of vegetables are frost-tolerant and does well into the fall season and early spring. They are best adapted to cooler seasons and it encompasses; broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower. Some of the root crops include; onions, carrots, turnips and parsnips. Greens with frost-tolerant qualities include spinach, kale, chard, endives and more. If you want to continue enjoying vegetables through frost season, make sure to plant some of them. Follow the instructions on each crops guidelines to be successful and enjoy your greens even during the winter.
Frost-tolerant flowers
Pansies and primroses are some of the hardiest flowers you can find in a nursery flower bed. The following flowers provide a means of adding hues to the landscape during the winter season. They are Diascia, Nemesia, Violets and Snapdragons. Even though most of these frost-tolerant flowers can be planted in any place of your garden, they are good at some strategic points. Places, where they can receive maximum winter light and the dry wind as much as possible. Some flowers need frost for them to flower, so don’t surprised with such flowers.
Important notes
Protect new tube stock from frost until they develop a woody stem. Also, provide good drainage to plants during frost season and don’t let roots rest on wet soil.
Those are some of the frost-tolerant plants that made to my blog, but I assure you there are a lot more. You can order them online or visit a nursery near you to get green supplies to your kitchen even during the winter season. Now check out the following gallery for more frost-tolerant plants ideas.
