3 Thrifty Ways To Keep Plants Cozy This Winter! 🥶

Winter is coming! Protect your precious plants from the cold and keep them cozy before the change of the seasons with these three nifty, thrifty hacks!
In this week's episode, Ben demonstrates how you can repurpose everyday household items and make very simple, quick and effective protection for your veggies. Your plants will thank you!
For tips on how to make a simple cold frame, see our video • How to Make A Cold Fra...
If you love growing your own food, why not take a look at our online Garden Planner which helps you to plan and design your garden to maximise yields and get more out of your garden all year round.
It's available from several major websites and seed suppliers:
www.GrowVeg.com
gardenplanner....
gardenplanner.......
and many more...
To receive more gardening videos subscribe to our channel here: / subscription_. .
If you've noticed any pests or beneficial insects in your garden lately please report them to us at BigBugHunt.com

[@seanweatherall7114]

I think you're the best gardening teacher on youtube. Your videos that explain growing individual crops from start to finish are exactly what people are looking for.

[@GrowVeg]

Bless you, thanks Sean!

[@AtheistEve]

I agree, this channel is very good for info and presentation. You should also look at RED Gardens and Steve’s Seaside Kitchen Garden & Allotment. Also the obvious choice of Charles Dowding.

[@vanessaeden8174]

The obvious Monty Don replacement

[@Dilshad38]

I agree 100% - I love watching your videos and I always learn something, thanks Ben! :)

[@brandineissl9243]

Completely agree🥰

[@emmacoombs8681]

When I bought a new fridge freezer, I saved the drawers and shelves. I'm also using a chest of drawers as a frame, I knew I should have saved the drawers!

[@dn744]

What a lovely idea. So much better than being dumped in a tip.

[@emmacoombs8681]

@@dn744 Thankyou, I thought the same thing. I try to find second uses for things, saves money! And the landfill!

[@GrowVeg]

Very resourceful Emma - fantastic!

[@tulipsmoran5197]

That temporary cold frame is ingenious! I extend growing season by late fall plantings in a poly tunnel that has a 16 ft raised bed down its center. I then cover the raised bed inside the poly tunnel with several mini greenhouse frames joined together down the entire 16ft length and assemble their covers overlapping them. This create a "polytunnel within a polytunnel". I have yukon gold potatoes planted down each side of 16ft greenhouse sandwiched between bottom/top straw layer then covered with soil. I expect potatoes early January - the plan is fresh garden potatoes year round here in US Z7. Up the center between the two potato rows I've planted kale transplants for fresh green smoothies each morning. I also then lay black rubber mats down each side of the raised bed to soak up solar warmth during the day and release down into the soil and into the greenhouse adding some warmth. At night I pull a dble layer of Agribon frost fabric as a blanket over the top of the mini greenhouse. This year I may actually use a blanket cut in half.

[@GrowVeg]

Wow! You're really pulling everything out of the bag to get as much heat in there as possible - love your ingenuity!

[@billeemcrae5219]

I would love to see a picture of this. it sounds amazing!

[@leslie-lynnesinkey1225]

I've done square hoop-houses, but I have run the tubing from opposite corners (e.g., upper left to lower right) so it makes an "X" in the middle, like a lot of camping tents. It also helps the snow to slide down the four sides, so that snow is less likely to collapse the whole kit-and-kaboodle. "Hammertime..."--I think you've just dated yourself, my friend! : )

[@dn744]

Nice. Hope its a winning solution. Corner to Corner will also help strengthen it against harsh winds.

[@GrowVeg]

Great idea - I'd never thought of that!

[@Dragon-wl5ic]

I am so in love with the garden community. How can you not love people that are in sync with nature? What a great idea Ben, so clever. I wonder if I have to do this also in an unheated greenhouse. Its still very mild and dry here where I live, but I see how that goes!🙂

[@dn744]

He is a pleasure to watch, as reminded me of my old teacher lol

[@GrowVeg]

It depends on what you're growing. An unheated greenhouse would still offer good protection, even if it gets frosty - so in most cases brilliant for winter salads etc.

[@TwoMarshmallows1]

The hammer time joke made me laugh so much! And aw, sweet Rosie. I'm sure she didn't mean to eat all the leeks. They were just too delicious for her to resist. So much great advice here. The tip about the cold frame and weeds is gold! Thank you so much.

[@toniedalton5448]

Rosie is such a sweetie !

[@Mona-fd5kf]

Thanks for sharing. I made a 10x4 foot hoop green house to grow greeens and some root plants. It minimized the flying pest and helped me save water. After watching you I will not be spending anymore money on materials.

[@GrowVeg]

That's great to hear Mona.

[@wyominghome4857]

Thank you for the English/American translation. Very helpful!

[@pennythompson4790]

I bet you can't tell Rosie off as she's so adorablexx

[@GrowVeg]

You're right - she does rather get away with a lot because of her cuteness!

[@toniedalton5448]

I’m gonna use some of the old windows out of the basement and make a cold frame. Although I love those easy hoops !

[@RalfyCustoms]

Cold frame and micro polytunnel here, not only for winter, but to get an early start in spring too Happy days Ben, Rosie and family

[@firesunearthmoon8999]

Mischief comes in beautiful packages 🥰

[@GrowVeg]

Haha - yes indeed! :-)

[@MB-hz7wm]

😂 "Hammer time!" Made my day, thanks! Exactly the video I was seeking

[@GrowVeg]

Haha, so pleased! :-)

[@taharanaturals1763]

This is the first time I've watched your videos. Thank you for the simple and brilliant ideas. Great for ppl like me who don't have the proper tools and knowledge to make mini poly tunnels and cold frames.I look forward to watching more of your videos. 👍

[@GrowVeg]

Ah that's great to hear - and thank you for watching.

[@dn744]

Cheers Ben. I am 52, but no expert in gardening. All hints and tips are are a blessing 🙌

[@GrowVeg]

We are all of us constantly learning!

[@RCPrepping]

I live in central Florida USA and am fortunate to be able to grow outdoors all year round. I am sending your videos to a family member in North Carolina. They would be wise to follow your instructions.

[@johnhamilton9229]

I appreciate your minimal footprint by choosing to use hand tools rather than power tools. It gives you a great platform for the humor I enjoy. “Hammer Time” Lol.

[@GrowVeg]

Glad you spotted that one John!

[@Manj369]

I love your enthusiasm. You are simply gorgeous, and I thank you so very much for all your lessons, and your ginormous warm heart. Bless You ​♡​​

[@GrowVeg]

And thank you for watching. Happy gardening. :-)

[@elizabethknight843]

Great video! I place my PVC pipe diagonally rather than side to side. I live in a snowy environment and this keeps my hoop house from collapsing in the middle. It's a stronger method in windy areas, too.

[@GrowVeg]

That's a great tip Elizabeth - never thought to do it that way!

[@lisarussell6153]

Wow, your hoop house and cold frame are genius! Thanks for sharing.

[@Gkrissy]

I love the home made cold frames look. Thanks for the idea I may try that down the line. Your dog is super 🥰 cute.

[@GrowVeg]

Thanks Krystal. Give it a go. And yes, Rosie is rather sweet (most of the time!).

[@hamiltoncamp]

Great idea. Might actually do the hot boxes instead of building the greenhouse for now

[@melanielinkous8746]

"Hammer time" Lol! Love it.

[@GrowVeg]

Haha - cheers Melanie.

[@rhomacity]

Here in Nova Scotia, Canada my goal has been to have spinach in the spring as early as possible. I plant spinach in September to get it well established, eat it as baby and then use the hoops and row covers when temps get colder to keep it growing. In end of November when daily temps are 4 degrees, I cover with plastic. The spinach is protected "on hold" until early spring when I water, fertilize, prune and encourage it to continue growing getting many pickings.

[@GrowVeg]

That's great to have it ticking over all winter. I imagine it can get a bit chilly in Nova Scotia.

[@catiepower3550]

I used gallon milk containers last season. Worked great

[@janicewright2411]

You certainly are an inspiration. Thank you for your ingenious ideas. Because of your suggestions, I decided to try to make my own cold frame from some old barn wood I had. All I needed to purchase was some plexiglass and hinges. Fingers crossed I’ll be harvesting lettuce, spinach, and scallions.

[@GrowVeg]

Hope you enjoy some great harvests from your new cold frame Janice.

[@craftingmaniac617]

Thank you!!!

[@parveenali8954]

Great idea👍

[@praewaygarden]

That's good idea.

[@maggieincanada2062]

Love how you repurpose different materials! 👍👍👍

[@MarkFaust]

Good stuff, I am relatively new to gardening and here in Nebraska it gets stupid cold so this is perfect for me. Thank you.

[@vanessataylor4125]

Hi Ben Great video thank you. I use the water pipe on my allotment and it works really well. You can also use pipe saddles and pipe clips of various sorts to anchor the pipe on to boards and I use pipe clips to hold my netting in place over the hoop. If you get the right ones, you can then then slide the clips up the hoops to give you access to your produce, which is very useful for harvesting. You wouldn’t want to put the pipe clips onto polythene though as it would probably make a hole. Scaffold netting is quite cheap and effective for keeping butterflies off.

[@GrowVeg]

This is brilliant advice, many thanks for sharing this Vanessa.

[@joybrown8644]

Love to see a picture.

[@vanessataylor4125]

@@joybrown8644 I would be happy to send you a picture but can’t attach anything to these messages. If you do an internet search you will probably find some pics.

[@chantelmcskimming6633]

Really very nice! I particularly enjoy how fluent you are in metric and imperial 😊😊😊

[@GrowVeg]

Thanks Chantel - a few years of trying to switch between them - I'm fluent in both!

[@anaeccles7951]

Looks great

[@helenwatt517]

Yes, I agree that you are a superb teacher Ben. I started gardening on a very reduced budget, and never yet had the privilege to own my own greenhouse - these mini polytunnel ideas are great!. I have an amazing friend that knocked up a cold frame for me from spare timber and polycarb sheeting - which is much lighter than glass and so makes the cold frame easier to move, but has to be weighted with a stone so the wind doesn't lift the lid off. I'm just wondering if I could use an old swing frame to make a temporary green house... it will take a lot of strong plastic sheeting I suspect!

[@GrowVeg]

Hi Helen. I love the idea of that. I don't see why that wouldn't work - it's certainly an innovative use for an swing frame!

[@SerHuntsReviews]

Winter is here.

[@lilaclilly198]

That very how you made your cold house will give it a go.

[@bowerygirl]

This will be my first winter in a new zone. A bit milder from where I came from but much wetter. Renovation expenses have left a bit of neglect outdoors so these alternative glasshouse options are brilliant Ben and definitely in my range! Thank you!

[@GrowVeg]

I hope you enjoy exploring your new zone and all the opportunities it hopefully offers your gardening.

[@3686ks]

Excellent ideas. Thank you.

[@MS-ku7tl]

Love your video. You should mention that the cut soda bottles should only be used for small plants or starts. You dont want any leaves touching the plastic.

[@cbak1819]

Thanks for all the tips, I love the dowel trick. I have winter sown with hoops and this year cold frames.. going good.. zone 6

[@GrowVeg]

Glad it's all going good. :-)

[@cbak1819]

@@GrowVeg well after the blizzard the lettuce didn't do well in the cold frame but under hoops it's doing fine!

[@markw5779]

Nice one Ben,I love your simple alternatives,just goes to prove you don’t need wads of money to get equally good results,just a bit of ingenuity and common sense 👍

[@GrowVeg]

You certainly don't - just a little lateral thinking and time.

[@lucybarnard3954]

Thanks some great ideas x

[@donnaluca3739]

I really enjoy your videos. I love the fact that your raised beds are on the smaller side - like mine since space is limited - so I can really relate.

[@GrowVeg]

The little raised beds are really handy - very easy to look after.

[@helenamartin977]

Such good advise, Ben. For once I feel like planning next year's garden now in November. I had given up growing broccoli because the cabbage butterflies got in through the very old relay fabric. Thank you for all the fun and great videos

[@anappealtoheaven852]

Great ideas! Thank you!!

[@AvaPlayz-ev7uy]

Excellent as always xx

[@S_M_20117]

Brilliant tips 👏 👌 Thanq 💜

[@rebeccapagan1273]

Thanks. I needed some ideas for my lavender.

[@lizziesmusicmaking]

I like using milk jugs to winter sow a few things. Especially spinach. I'm hoping to build a minihoophouse/row cover this spring.

[@julieelliott2948]

Love it. Thanks Ben. 😊😊😊

[@ALCIUS_kingpigeons1]

Amazing 🤩

[@cindyrains6540]

I use metal conduit and a garden hoop bender for more permanent / stable hoops. I can apply hail cloth or clear plastic or ? Has worked well for many yrs

[@lenleonardo4918]

Awesome and very savvy indeed ! Thanks 😊

[@MyrtleBeachWebAngel]

Thanks so much! I'm looking for ways to make things a little warmer in a couple places for our garden anoles in Myrtle Beach.

[@GrowVeg]

This should definitely help. :-)

[@priayief]

That was an interesting and informative video. Thanks for posting. Over the many years I've been gardening in raised beds, I think I've tried every way know to man (slight exaggeration) to either extend or get an early start on my growing season. The biggest problem I've encountered is overheating my plants. Inevitably something happens too frequently where I either forget to increase ventilation on sunny days or events conspire against my doing that. So now I rely on automatic ventilation. I no longer bother using covers to extend my growing season. For me, it's not worth the effort. However, I use temporary, removable covers on select beds very early in the spring. These serve several useful purposes. First is to thaw and condition the soil much earlier than usual. In addition, I can move many of my seedlings from indoors to my covered beds to get them conditioned for planting in the garden. And obviously, I can get an extra early start on all my veggies.

[@GrowVeg]

That seems like a great compromise Captain Ron - you're still getting a nice jump start on the growing season there.

[@wisdomseekers479]

Great video

[@Proverbs3.3]

Amazing video Thankyou so so much for this God bless you

[@GrowVeg]

Thank you so much. :-)

[@waterloom]

Thanks. I’m going to try both a poly tunnel and a cold frame. Excellent ideas. I love your videos’!

[@GrowVeg]

Cheers for watching Susan. So pleased you'll be trying them out.

[@the-glitch]

you just kept it simple, congrats !

[@Beaguins]

This channel is amazing. It's like you always have more tricks up your sleeve.

[@GrowVeg]

And plenty more tricks to come - thank you so much for watching. :-)

[@annlyder8657]

Thank you

[@rachelflamdesign]

Brilliant!! Thank you!

[@valoriegriego5212]

Another good one, Ben!🙂 I'm in zone 8a Central Texas. We are able to grow cold crops through the winter...and if I were to do a cold frame I'd have no problems growing lettuce and spinach. I've been thinking about doing a cold frame...thanks for the knowledge!🙂

[@GrowVeg]

You're very welcome Valorie. I hope you give the cold frame idea a go.

[@jacquelineanthony1080]

poly tunnel is here up in my garden in Austin Texas

[@WaddedBliss]

I think my winter onions will benefit from having a mini polytunnel over them.

[@anapaulacrawford5837]

Such a great information! Thank you for what you do! God bless!

[@quietspacearts]

love the hoop house but needs a roof support like long cane so will not topple in with weight of snow in middle hahaha you did say for polytunnels just heard lol but needs for even mini hoop house too protect those lovely plants

[@GrowVeg]

Yes, good point. We don't get much snow here so forget about these things!

[@rjones4748]

This is really cool. Neat tips for gardening. Can't wait to have a real garden.

[@GrowVeg]

Yes, if space is tight then maybe in-ground beds with narrow paths is a better option.

[@aggiekromah6254]

This is the exact info I was searching thanks😁✌️✌️🌹

[@kooltube100]

this was a little too expensive for me, so much so I was considering just buying a prebuilt setup. But then I got an idea of just using bamboo + twine. 1. I cut two 6ft bamboo poles in half (can use various sizes depending on bed size. my bed length was 6ft) 2. stabbed them diagonally into the bed of choice making sure both sticks cross in the middle (one side of the bed, shortest side). also make sure they are firmly stabbed into the ground, the deeper the better. 3. tied those sticks together with twine 4. repeated steps 2/3 on the other side of the bed, making sure they lined up. (if want a stronger setup do this again in the centre of the bed) 5. placed a 6ft bamboo pole on top of the two constructions I made ( should just slot onto the V shape) 6. placed fleece over the top and weighted it down with various stuff in the garden. sure the bamboo will probably rot away over time but this is a nice simple setup to help get through the colder months. if it does last you can just replace the cover with netting in the future.

[@GrowVeg]

What a great technique - love it! :-)

[@debralauesen4225]

Excellent video Ben, I appreciate you!

[@GrowVeg]

And thank you for watching Debra.

[@sherryw.1466]

Excellent ideas!

[@nellmanning8547]

Thanks for great ideas

[@Dawn_Grows_Veg]

Love the mini poly house, this would be great if made taller for bush or dwarf tomatoes outside to give them a bit of extra oomph if you haven't got a greenhouse. I love the water pipe, it is the best thing ever for creating hoops for the net protection too again pests.😃

[@barriegrundy4004]

brilliant.. love this...more please

[@GrowVeg]

Will keep them coming Barrie - lots more ideas and tips in future videos, so stay tuned!

[@monikamona5271]

Genius, so simple :)

[@gooja80]

Piękny pomocnik😍

[@GrowVeg]

Dziękuję Ci :-)

[@Garricher5958]

Great ideas!!! I will be overwintering some shrub cuttings(in pots), and plan to bury part of each pot in the ground to help insulate them , and use the first method that you demonstrated. I plan on using 6- 8x8x8 half block. The blocks will act as a weight to keep the plastic sheeting in place, and I will be using the stakes, and plastic coil as support for the plastic. Contemplating using the plastic on the ground as well, and cutting out the plastic in the shape of the pots before they go in the ground.... not sure about that last part? Thank you for the work that you do on these videos!!!

[@GrowVeg]

I'm not sure you'll need to do the last part, but you could always add that in if you feel it's necessary for support. Good luck with your cuttings - that's a great idea to part-bury the pots.

[@adelineparinduri]

I do all this too aside from the cold frame. Now I want to see how far my leafy greens will go as our temps can plunge as low as -42C at times (just -21C tonight). Maybe I could double the plastic layers. Happy to see this video. I like that you repurpose stuffs as well.

[@GrowVeg]

Oh wow - that is very cold!

[@gardeningwithprincess]

I think I want to try plastic over my raised beds instead of the fleece cover. I find that the fleece only works well if I put more than one layer of it on.

[@diversitylove5460]

Plastic traps the hot air. So the greenhouse affect is more dramatic when the sun is out. BUT. At night the air stays trapped but the sun can’t continue to heat it. It has R1 insulation value. So put the fleece on at night, over the plastic. Take fleece off in the morning. China has been doing this for decades and produce food year round.

[@GrowVeg]

Interesting method @Diversity Love - I hadn't thought of adding/removing fleece in combination with plastic like that.

[@diversitylove5460]

@@GrowVeg research Chinese greenhouses. They use blankets. Anything with a high insulation value can be a greenhouse blanket. Preferably non flammable

[@rhg3212]

This might be my favourite video from you yet!

[@GrowVeg]

Thanks for the feedback - that's hugely appreciated. :-)

[@FromOurGarden]

Amazing tips 👌 Thank you for sharing 😍

[@BlairMartin-lm4er]

Ben, I love your videos! Question: how do you handle watering in a cold frame/mini-hoop house in winter? Approach/ frequency? Thank you!

[@GrowVeg]

It's very wet here in the winter, so enough moisture tends to creep in from the surrounding area! But I check every week or so and water if necessary. But if it's cool then you probably will only need to water once every few weeks or so. Go by the soil - put your finger in there and feel for moisture - if it's a bit dry, give it a water.

[@YesiPleb]

Absolutely love your videos. I've got an old shower door that's been put behind the garden shed for about a year, going to measure it up later and see if it'll fit one of my planters in the front garden. Really looking forward to your video on rhubarb, I've got some growing out the front, please cover whether it needs to be covered during the winter, keep hearing conflicting views on this.

[@GrowVeg]

Fab stuff, that'll be a great project to undertake. I'll make sure we cover all the important points on the rhubarb, don't worry. :-)

[@christinehodge3608]

We have used the glass panels

[@sarahd5064]

Thanks for the information! It’s too late for me to do anything for fall now. I am in zone 4b in BC Canada, but more in a little micro climate since I’m on top of a mountain. We already have snow on the ground. Would this work in the spring to get a head start on some lettuce, spinach and kale? And also to acclimate any seedlings? I usually can’t plant until The end of May but we’ve had snow into June before.

[@GrowVeg]

Yes, it would certainly work at the start of the season too - giving you perhaps as much as two weeks of a head start.

[@TransdermalCelebrate]

Love to Rosie and her Love of broccoli 😁, This is just a passing thought to deter slugs and snails, So I thought I’d run it past you and hear your thoughts. I’m thinking of raising my beds from the ground by about an inch and running trimmed brambles from blackberry, raspberry and any other thorny plant. Sought of the equivalent of a thorny moat, Laying the brambles perhaps an inch in height, ( as long as they’re already dead, or maybe even train them around), As well as an inch out away from the raised bed, Perhaps that would be a viable alternative to deter the escargot 😁?

[@GrowVeg]

Potentially, but I suspect they'll find a way across this barrier, and it won't be long before the thorns soften and become less of a threat. But maybe worth a try nevertheless.

[@niecieyukiye6654]

You should cross the hoops in the center and use a cable tie to secure them together. This will add much needed stability in the event of snow etc.

[@GrowVeg]

Great tip, thank you.

[@niecieyukiye6654]

@@GrowVeg you're welcome! Love your channel...cheers from sequim wa

[@drdawnb]

I have a Rosie also.

[@GrowVeg]

Brilliant - snap!

[@RizeTB1]

I’ve got left over bricks, and a few empty wine bottles. Border of wine bottles stuck into the dirt, fabric row cover held down with bricks.

[@learngardeninguk66]

You’re lucky your dog didn’t die! Great vid

[@jfox20902]

Hiya, Ben. Does the plastic to go over the frame need to be clear plastic, or is an opaque white plastic sheet ok to use? (The white film I have is heavier than the clear plastic film I have.) Also, how frequently is good to water the plants inside?

[@GrowVeg]

Hi Janet. You ideally want to let the full spectrum of natural light through, hence using clear plastic. But if plenty of light still gets through the white sheet, you could give it a try and swop out if growth suffers. I hardly water at all during the winter - the moisture sort of seeps in from the surrounding area. But I would keep an eye on the soil and just water as needed according to your weather conditions and temperatures.

[@yaneejitkaeo]

Thank you very much for great video ❤️

[@Skitdora2010]

I've tried using windows to make cold frames. The glass has always shattered before spring comes. When I use plastic it always gets hit by strong winds and blows off or tears. I love the idea of cold frames though. I have Elliot Colemans books. Charles Dowding also did some interesting videos on it. Still I am a failure each time I try. High winds, heavy snow fall, and zone 5.

[@elizabethlane8690]

Mine has clear plexiglass on the top. It lasted 4 years, and this year broke. It is a single sheet so I can replace it. I’m in northern Ohio, winters are hard here.

[@SK-lt1so]

Zone 5b with heavy snow and I use plastic for a cold fram and haven't had big issues. I have a wood/composite box with a sloped top.

[@GrowVeg]

If you can find good, solid windows they are great - mine do last the winter and are strong enough not to shatter.

[@christinebrooks6364]

Great video with really good simple ideas 🙂

[@Growgreen445]

Nice sharing 🎉🎉 Subscribed to your channel 🎉🎉

[@GrowVeg]

Awesome - a warm welcome to you! :-)

[@GerryLP1111]

Hello. I thank you for the informative video. One question, what about watering during winter? Does initial watering only before covering is enough?

[@GrowVeg]

You might want to check under the covers to see about how moist the soil is and water if necessary. Often the soil beneath seems to remain moist from water wicking in from outside the cover. But it's worth checking and watering as needed.

[@AlmostOrganicDorset]

Temperatures on ground covered with plastic are lower than the surrounding area, you will get a harder frost in a polytunnel than outside, simple physics.

[@GrowVeg]

The main advantage of polytunnels is that they offer warmer daytime temperatures - trapping some of the solar radiation to warm up the air, meaning more actively growing days for winter crops.

[@AlmostOrganicDorset]

@@GrowVeg and freeze quicker and harder than the surrounding ground!