What Is Frost?
Frost is water vapor, or water in gas form, that has turned solid. Frost usually forms on objects outside in moist air, such as cars, windows, and plants. Heavy frosts are common in foggy areas.
When a surface outside cools below the dew point, it becomes covered in frost. The dew point is the temperature at which the water vapor in the atmosphere condenses into liquid. This liquid solidifies. Little bits of ice, or frost, form when it gets cold enough. Ice crystals are formed by the arrangement of the ice.
Frost occurs most frequently in low-lying areas. Warm air rises, while cool air sinks because cool air is denser than warm air. This means that cool air contains more water molecules than warm air. Frost forms when cool air collects in valleys.
Frost forms most often at night, when the air temperature is lower. Frost melts quickly when the sun rises and warms the air around the frosted object.
Types of Frost
There are various types of frost. The most common are radiation frost (also known as hoarfrost), advection frost, window frost, and rime.
Radiation frost is frost that appears as tiny ice crystals on the ground or exposed objects outside. Hoarfrost can form in refrigerators and freezers as well.
Advection frost is made up of small ice spikes. When a cold wind blows over the branches of trees, poles, and other surfaces, advection frost forms.
Glass windows become frosty when they are in contact with both moist interior air and chilly exterior air. Window frost is common in cold climates during the winter. This type of frost is formed by the combination of indoor heat and cold outdoor temperatures. Before the advent of double-paned windows, window frost was much more common.
Rime is a type of frost that forms quickly, usually in very cold, wet weather. Rime can also form in windy conditions. Rime can appear solid ice at times. Ships traveling through cold environments such as the Arctic Ocean frequently have rime covering at least part of the exposed part of the ship.
How Does Frost Affect Your Plants?
Frost can cause significant crop damage. It is capable of destroying plants or fruits. Tomatoes, soy, and zucchini, which have thin skins, can be ruined. If there is enough frost, potatoes will freeze in the ground. Farmers have lost entire fields in just a few frosty nights.
To forecast frost, farmers typically consult almanacs and maps. Farmers can use maps and almanac information (such as previous days of frost) to determine which areas typically receive frost, how frequently it occurs, and how long it lasts. These tools are dependable, but they are not always precise.
The Importance of Tolerating the Frost Level in Gardening
As temperatures drop throughout the fall and winter, be prepared to protect annual flowers and vegetables.
Frost tolerance varies between plants. Tender plants like tomatoes, peppers, coleus, and impatiens cannot withstand freezing temperatures. They’ll be the first to be harmed by frost. So, even if a light frost is forecast, be prepared to cover these plants.
Cool-season vegetables such as broccoli, collards, and Brussels sprouts, as well as half-hardy and hardy annuals such as ornamental kale, alyssum, and pansies, can withstand a hard frost down to 28 degrees.
Keep an eye on the various gardens in your yard. Plants growing in exposed or low-lying areas of the landscape are more vulnerable to frost damage. Those planted close to the house or under trees may be protected from early frosts.
More information: Frost protection can help you extend your enjoyment and harvest. Protecting tender plants from the first few fall frosts allows them to thrive for a few weeks longer when milder weather returns.
How to Avoid or Prevent Frost from Killing Your Plants?
Frost damage can be avoided with some forethought and quick thinking. These methods work for frosts but are ineffective when winter arrives and temperatures consistently fall below freezing.
Wrap the plants in fabric
Plant covers effectively protect against frost damage because they provide a physical layer of protection against cooling air temperatures. Cover them with lightweight sheets before it gets close to 32 degrees [Fahrenheit], then remove them in the morning to allow the sun’s rays to warm them back up.
Choose fabric sheets over plastic because plastic can exacerbate frost damage if it comes into contact with your plants. The simplest way to keep a cover from blowing away is to drape it over plants and secure it with heavy rocks or other substantial objects.
Use water jugs to warm up the plants
This technique is similar to using radiators to heat the surrounding air. Fill any size bottle or jug with water, placing containers in your garden while the weather is still warm. One large gallon jug should be enough for each plant. Water-filled jugs or bottles absorb heat during the day and release it at night, thereby protecting plants from frost damage.
This method is best suited for young seedlings or transplants, such as newly planted tomatoes or peppers. Using warmer jugs allows you to plant and establish plants earlier. This method can also be used to protect vegetable plants from late-season frosts.
Quick tip: Mulching is more effective for rapid freezing and thawing than for frost protection. Mulch helps to keep soil temperatures stable, which protects perennial plant roots. Make sure to add mulch before the cold weather arrives.
Protect with a cloche
Cloches are usually made of glass or hard plastic. They function by enclosing an entire plant in a minigreenhouse environment. The warmth inside is trapped, preventing frost particles from touching and damaging plant tissue.
These bell-shaped covers provide excellent frost protection. They do, however, take up a lot of space and can be quite expensive. Furthermore, their compact size makes them ideal for covering tender young transplants in the spring (when they’re just starting to grow) rather than large, fully-grown plants.
A straightforward fan
It may seem counterintuitive to use a cooling device to prevent frost, but by lowering the relative humidity and mixing the cold air at the surface with slightly warmer air a few feet above the plants, you can essentially create a microclimate in which frost cannot form.
Because frost does not require much air movement to form, even a gentle breeze will suffice. A single fan per four-foot-by-four-foot garden bed should be enough to provide adequate air circulation. Place the fan a few feet above the garden bed to push warm air downward. This method is ideal for greenhouses because the fan must be protected from the elements.
What to Do If the Plants Are Damaged by Frost?
What you do if a plant suffers frost damage depends on the type of plant. If they are annuals and have been reduced to mush, throw them out and start over.
Wait a week or so after frost damage to see if perennials or shrubs recover. Leaf loss does not necessarily imply that all is lost; stems and dormant buds may still be present. Protect them from any further frosts, as they may be more vulnerable at this point. If plants do not recover within two weeks, remove the damaged plant parts; the rest of the plant will usually be fine.
Flowering and fruit trees that suffer blossom and bud damage may not produce fruit or flowers that year, but they will usually flower and fruit again the following year.
Takeaway
Frost can permanently damage annuals and tender plant tissues such as blossoms. Covering plants, running a fan, and using cloches or water jugs, on the other hand, can help protect vulnerable plants from light and hard frosts.