Cheap and Easy DIY Row Covers to Protect Your Garden

What can I use as a row cover?
What can I use to cover my garden?
What is a floating row cover in gardening?
Do row covers prevent aphids?
Do I need to cover my vegetable garden?
Can I cover plants with garbage bags?
Does rain go through row cover?
Will one night of frost kill my plants?
At what temperature should I cover my plants?
Will 45 degrees hurt plants?

What can I use as a row cover?

Floating row cover, also known as garden fabric, is a white, thin, light piece of material used to shelter crops for a number of reasons, the most well known being for frost protection. It's typically made from polypropylene or polyester and doesn't absorb moisture.

What can I use to cover my garden?

Bed sheets, drop cloths, blankets and plastic sheets make suitable covers for vulnerable plants. Use stakes to keep material, especially plastic, from touching foliage. Remove the coverings when temperatures rise the next day. For a short cold period, low plantings can be covered with mulch, such as straw or leaf mold.

What is a floating row cover in gardening?

Floating row cover is a spun-bonded or woven plastic, polyester or polypropylene material that is placed over plants to exclude pests, act as a windbreak or extend the growing season by retaining heat — all while still being permeable to light, water and air.

Do row covers prevent aphids?

This really does help

In a healthy garden, most plants can fight off pest infestations on their own. But we do have a few pest problems that the fabric row cover has really helped. They are awesome for keeping both aphids and cabbage moths out of our spring and fall Cole crops.

Do I need to cover my vegetable garden?

Of course, the main way to protect plants from frosts is to cover them. Cover Your Plants: Generally, covering plants to create a temporary pocket of warmer air is the best way to protect them. Bed sheets, drop cloths, blankets and plastic sheets make suitable covers for vulnerable plants.

Can I cover plants with garbage bags?

Never use plastic of any kind, including black plastic garbage bags, to cover plants, as plastic conducts cold to the leaves and will increase the likelihood of damage to the plant. Old sheets, blankets, drop cloths and special frost protection blankets (called Reemay cloth or floating row covers) work best.

Does rain go through row cover?

Row covers will also help protect against heavy rains, which can cause soil crusting. Crusty soil makes it difficult for small seeds to poke through, leading to spotty germination among certain crops — notably carrots and parsnips.

Will one night of frost kill my plants?

A light frost may cause minimal damage while a severe frost may kill plants. Young, vulnerable plants are much more susceptible to a light freeze, which occurs when temperatures are 29 to 32 degrees Fahrenheit, while mature plants may only suffer from short-term effects.

At what temperature should I cover my plants?

Cover Plants – Protect plants from all but the hardest freeze (28°F for five hours) by covering them with sheets, towels, blankets, cardboard or a tarp. You can also invert baskets, coolers or any container with a solid bottom over plants. Cover plants before dark to trap warmer air.

Will 45 degrees hurt plants?

When cold comes, remember to protect your plants from frost

Cold weather, even if it doesn't drop below freezing, can harm cold-sensitive plants. Freezes are rare, but frosts can occur at above-freezing temperatures. Even temperatures at 45 degrees for more than several hours can harm some tropical orchids.