Protecting plants from freezing weather

Question

My question is: I have placed old towels over my plants and so far that has worked nicely; however, it rained on them last night and the towels are now soaked. What will happen if I leave the towels in place? It is suppose to be very cold again tonight.

Thank you.

Carolyn.

Answer 1

Leaving the towels in place could harm your plants, because if the wet towels freeze, both the ice and the weight could damage the plants.

One simple option is for you to remove the towels and replace them with dry towels after every rain. Another option is to make a tent setup so whatever fabric you use doesn't directly touch the plants. Or, use a chicken wire cage filled with leaves, as described here:

https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/plant-problems/environmental/protecting-plants-winter.htm