How to protect your plants in Spring

Ah, the great British climate. We’re famous for talking about the weather all the time because we just never know what it’s got in store for us from one minute to the next, let alone one day to the next. (And we all know how foolhardy it can be to take a long-range forecast at its word.) If you’re a gardener, predicting the weather can fall somewhere between a dark art and a wild guess. From sudden, unseasonal frosts to equally unexpected heatwaves, we have a lot to contend with, especially at this time of year with Spring throwing us snow and hail!

Spring is the season of new beginnings – when we plant and nurture precious seedlings for the food we want to eat this year. But it’s also the season of wildly fluctuating temperatures. Clear sunny days can feel as warm as high summer; equally clear nights can send temperatures plunging, with sharp, damaging frosts creeping over the garden. Unless you’ve got a smart gardening system that’ll do the hard work for you, you’ll need to be on the ball when it comes to the weather.

The scourge of late frost

Jack Frost is the bane of gardener’s lives. Just when you think he’s left for the season he rears his ugly head the night after you’ve planted out all those delicate young plants. Final frost can be anywhere between March and May, depending on the weather patterns and regional variations. Although you can never completely guard against an unexpected cold snap, there is some data available that can help you avoid the worst of it. The Plantmaps website has an interactive map of regional UK last frost dates which can be helpful in planning your planting out.
Having said that, it’s also worth keeping a close eye on the daily weather forecasts so you can take precautions if needed, like covering plants with fleece to protect them from icy mornings, or making sure the greenhouse is well-ventilated if a hot, sunny day is on the cards.

Automating temperature control in the garden

Temperature is a critical factor in the healthy development of garden plants. Losing crops that you’ve taken great care over to blips in the weather is a really disheartening for any gardener. As experienced horticulturalists, we know what it’s like to walk the weather tightrope. That’s why we wanted to find smarter ways to control the temperature when the seasons are so changeable. We designed our smart greenhouse system to warn users of variations in temperature and automate the process of ensuring plants have the optimal conditions in which to grow by self-regulating ventilation and heating.

While crops that have been transplanted out into the garden will still need a watchful eye, we know that anything in our greenhouses is safe and sound. And that’s particularly reassuring in respect of seedlings and young plants that are less likely to come through a sharp temperature change unscathed. We’ve found it’s made our own lives much easier because we’re not constantly having to check the environmental conditions – technology does all that for us – and we can monitor everything on the go via our mobile phones. It’s freed up a lot of time, and means we can also trust the system to keep the greenhouse climate under control while we’re away from home for extended periods.

Harvst smart mini greenhouses

If you think a Harvst growing system might be helpful in your garden, you can find out more about how our smart greenhouse systems work here. Or, if you’d like further information, just get in touch. You can send us an email at hello@harvst.co.uk or, if you’re in the Cardigan area, drop in to say hello at our new HQ in Morgan Street!