Monty Don shares two gardening items to 'invest' in before first frost of the season hits

dailyrecord.co.uk:

It's been confirmed by the Met Office that a cold snap will hit this weekend for much of the country, bringing frost and even some snow to select Scottish locations.Because of this, gardeners are being urged to stock up on some vital items that will protect their plants and help them continue to thrive.When the weather gets frosty, the water in plant cells can freeze, meaning they can become damaged or die off completely - which isn't ideal if you want them to survive the winter.To help, Gardeners' World expert Monty Don has revealed the two products all gardeners should purchase before the cold snap hits for the best chance at protecting plants, Chronicle Live reports. "If you do not already posses them, invest in horticultural fleece and some cloches," the expert urged in his October 2023 tips newsletter. "The point is that these are only useful if you have and employ them before you need them and there is no guarantee that there will not be a hard frost in October." "Cloches are very good for rows of vegetables, keeping them dry as well as warm (although I always leave the ends open – happy to trade some heat for some ventilation)," Monty added. "And fleece is the best temporary protection against frost, either laid out over small plants or draped over shrubs and bushes."The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) is in firm agreement, and the association also recommends covering the root areas of any evergreen, conifers or perennials with organic mulch to stop the ground from freezing.

For more tender plants, such as penstemon, the growth should be left alone until spring as this will help to protect against frost.