Weather & supports
Protect plants from frost and assess damage
Identify frost-sensitive plants from their guides.
When to do it
Before forecast frost, then after plants have thawed and the risk of further frost is considered.
What you need
- Horticultural fleece or suitable breathable cover
- Hoops or stakes
- Forecast
How to do it
- Identify frost-sensitive plants from their guides. Move portable pots to a bright sheltered frost-free place where possible.
- Before dusk, support a suitable cover over the plant and secure its edges to retain warmth from the ground. Keep heavy fabric off tender leaves.
- Remove or ventilate protection when conditions warm; wet, closed covers can cause problems. Covers reduce exposure but do not guarantee protection in severe cold.
- After a frost, let plants thaw naturally. Wait to judge stems and buds; collapsed leaves alone do not prove the whole plant has died.
- Delay major cutting back until the risk of further frost passes and healthy growth shows where to cut. Keep moisture appropriate without stimulating stressed plants with strong feed.
What success looks like
- Growing points remain viable or new shoots reveal surviving tissue.
Watch out for
- Wrapping leaves tightly in plastic.
- Assuming all brown foliage must be removed immediately.
Related help
Use cloches and covers without overheating plants
Decide what the cover must do.
Make a clean pruning cut and choose what to remove
Identify the plant and its flowering or fruiting wood before cutting.
Sources and review
Checked 24 September 2026. Source-checked editorial guidance; not field-tested or independently reviewed by a horticulturist.