Onset of winter: How to protect flowering fruit and ornamental trees from frost

Created: 03/30/2022, 11:59 am

By: Andrea Stettner

From Friday, the German weather service predicts snowfall for southern Germany.

To prevent flowering trees from suffering frost damage, you need to protect them.

The unusually warm March 2022 caused

throughout Germany .

Magnolias and apple trees in particular are now in full bloom in many places.

According to meteorologists, however, the wonderful spring weather should be over by Friday, April 1 at the latest

Prolonged snowfall predicted for the south, even down to low altitudes.

However, snow and frost do not bode well for trees that are already in bloom: fruit trees in particular are at risk of devastating frost damage, which can result in crop failures.

And the gorgeous blossoms of the magnolias turn to brown slush in freezing temperatures.

We show how hobby gardeners can protect their flowering trees in the garden*.

Magnolias bloom particularly well in spring.

However, the beautiful flowers must be protected from frost.

© Rolf Kosecki/Imago

Protect flowering trees from frost – this is how it works

• Even if it sounds paradoxical: fruit growers protect their flowering pome fruit trees from damage with

  frost

  protection sprinkling.

  A fine mist of water is sprayed onto the trees from above, which envelops the blossoms.

  When the water freezes, so-called crystallization heat is generated, which protects the flowers from frost damage caused by sub-zero temperatures.

  The temperature cannot drop below zero degrees.

  Hobby gardeners can also use this method for apple trees if the trees are very large.

  However, frost protection irrigation is very water-intensive and not always successful.

• Hobby gardeners can easily protect small and medium-sized trees with a

  fleece

  that is attached to the crown and trunk.

  Sackcloth can also be used as protection against the cold – or coconut or reed mats.

  You can find out which trees and shrubs are cut in March here.

• With a layer of

  bark mulch

  on the ground (also with leaves or brushwood if you like) you protect the roots of the trees from late frost.

However, you should remove the tree covers again as soon as the temperatures rise above five degrees.

Then bees and bumblebees have the chance to pollinate the trees again.

Protect plants in beds and on the balcony from frost

A cold snap with snow and frost can also affect plants close to the ground such as strawberries, flowers or vegetables that have already been planted.

can be covered with plastic bags, buckets, or large bowls when it's cold.

A drying rack offers protection for several plants at once if it is covered with warm blankets and thus converted into a mini greenhouse.

in cardboard.

Many flowers and vegetables are only allowed outside after the ice saints.

By the way, this garden work is due in April.

IPPEN.MEDIA.