Why it is important to know the frost zones in your garden
When we talk about planting plants in a garden, we often refer to the geographical area. Of course, the climate of the region in which you live is important and it is clear that we do not plant the same plants by the sea and in mountain regions, for example. But this should not make you forget two things:
- In your region, or even your municipality, there may be differences in climate depending on the presence or absence of a river, the proximity of a mountain, the altitude, etc.
- Your garden also has its climatic particularitieswith warmer spaces, others cooler, others more sensitive to frost, others more exposed to cold winds, etc. These differences can be linked to the presence of constructions, hedges, a mound, trees, etc.
To have an attractive garden and keep your plants for many years, it is therefore important to identify microclimates of your garden. This will prevent you from making mistakes such as planting plants that are most sensitive to cold in a corner of your garden that is more exposed to cold winds and frost, for example.
How to identify frost-prone areas in your garden
This identification essentially involves observation which will provide you with numerous clues.
Observe snowy and frozen areas in your garden
In winter, when it has snowed or frozen, a simple observation you can make is to monitor how the melting or thawing is taking place. From this observation, here is what you can deduce:
- The areas where this white coat disappears more quickly designate the areas where it is milder, therefore those where you can plant your first annuals in spring.
- Conversely, the places where ice persists the longest correspond to the coldest areas of your garden. This is where you should avoid planting plants that are more sensitive to cold.
If you live in an area where it doesn’t snow, puddles can help you determine which areas are coldest. The places where puddles last the longest correspond to the coldest points.
Wind, a criterion not to be taken lightly
The wind can make lower the felt temperature by several degrees and in your garden, it is possible that certain areas are more exposed to it than others. They will then be colder than areas sheltered from the wind. It is not always easy to spot where the wind is blowing, but to help you, you can observe the dead leaves in your garden. Here is what you can deduce from this observation:
- The places where dead leaves are blown correspond to wind crossing points and are therefore more frost-prone. You must therefore avoid planting plants that are most sensitive to wind and cold.
- Places where dead leaves are not blown away by the wind and accumulate correspond to sheltered areas of your garden. You can therefore install your most fragile plants there.
The presence of buildings or windbreaks
Whether it is a construction, a simple wall or low wall, a hedge, etc., they all play the role of protection against the prevailing winds and are not without consequences on the creation of a microclimate:
- A wall plays a big role depending on its orientation : If it faces south, it creates a microclimate that is warmer day and night, but also drier in your garden. You can install your most fragile plants there, provided that they can tolerate the heat and Drought. Conversely, a north-facing wall tends to create a colder and more humid microclimate, because this area is then in the shade for much of the day. This is where you can install hardy plants that love shade and humidity.
- At the foot of buildings, like a house, a milder microclimate is also created, especially if they are covered with a light coating. Indeed, we must not forget that light color has the capacity to reflect heat. Beyond a building, a simple garden shed can also play a role in protecting against wind and cold.
- Hedges, for their part, create areas where the wind is slowed, where the cold is attenuated, where the sun is subdued and where the humidity level is higher. It is therefore interesting to install more fragile plants or your vegetable garden near a hedge.
Don’t neglect orientation
It is also important to use a compass to know the exact exposure of your garden. Please note that smartphones are now equipped with a compass which can be very useful in determining the most frost-prone areas. Each cardinal point has advantages and disadvantages:
- The south allows you to benefit from a warming zone quickly in the morning thanks to direct exposure to the rising sun. It is therefore a very suitable place for the most cautious plants. Although the temperature is always higher there, it can also be very hot in summer.
- The north is the coolest exposure and the shadiest. It will be necessary to choose plants that can withstand these more difficult growing conditions.
- The east is more sensitive to early frosts as the temperature remains cold in the morning.
- The west, on the other hand, is less subject to frost mornings due to the fact that temperatures remain warm during the night.
Take temperature readings
Finally, a concrete way to determine the zones of your garden is to take temperature readings at different points in your garden and at different times of the day. You can write down your weather observations in a notebook to make a diary, but there is no doubt that the temperature differences from one point to another will surprise you and will be very instructive as to what you can plant in this or that corner of your garden.
To carry out these readingsinstall thermometers in different places in your garden, making sure to place them at ground level, then record the temperatures at regular times. The history will allow you to identify which areas are most prone to frost in your garden and to determine which plants to install or not to install in this or that location.