As the daytime temperatures start to move back into that delightful range which encourages renewed interest in outdoor activities, one must also recognize the challenges cool nighttime air poses for annuals and tender perennials. If you aren’t quite ready to be done with the gardening season, consider a few Main Line residential landscaping tips to implement in your yard and garden to prevent frost damage.

• Breathable row covers – Whether you use a professional landscape grade cover or merely an old sheet pulled from your linen closet, this simple technique is quite effective in protecting plants from a frost. If possible, when covering your plants, ensure that the fabric is secured to the ground. This traps valuable heat from the earth and provides a moderately-insulated “cocoon” for your gardening treasures.
• Water sprinklers – For the occasional times when night temps dip below freezing, turning on sprinklers before dawn allows the water to melt away the frost and cover the leaves with a thin layer of ice, preventing the “burn” that frost can put on plants once the sunshine reaches them. This is a popular method employed by nurseries to protect their tender nursery stock and is quite effective also in Main Line residential landscaping scenarios as well. The real negative is getting out of bed before dawn to give your plants a morning shower!
• Smoke and wind – Though perhaps not as practicable for the average homeowner, yet some might have the resources to utilize this trick. Wind and smoke both make it harder for frost to form on plants. Thus many nurseries have fans and smudge pots that work throughout cold nights to protect plants in areas to large to use row covers.

Plant-care.com advises that you know the terrain of your garden. “Cold air is heaver or denser than warm and hot air, be aware low lying areas of the garden may get colder by several degrees than areas in higher spots. Plant the more tender plant varieties on higher ground or on slopes where cold air will not settle. You can precondition your plants and landscape to get them ready to battle the winter temperatures by stopping fertilizing in early September.”

Just because the nights are getting cooler doesn’t meant the colorful growing season has to be brought to a halt. Enlist the help of these Main Line residential landscaping tips. For more smart ideas, don’t hesitate to call Aardweg Landscaping for professional and efficient ways to keep the frost at bay and eke out every last drop of gorgeous display before winter sets in!

In 2015 Aardweg Landscaping of Newtown Square, PA  received both the  “Best Of Houzz” 2015 award for Customer Satisfaction by Houzz, and the exclusive “Recommended” badge for top rated professionals on Houzz.

Schedule a complimentary on-site consultation with Aardweg Landscaping by calling 610-355-0703, or send an email using the website contact form.