How to Choose a Plant Frost Protection Fleece

With winter just around the corner, it’s time to prepare for the inevitable frost. A gardening frost fleece, also known as horticultural fleece, will shelter your plants from the harsh weather, whilst still allowing air, water and light to reach the plant.

Our Gardening Angels have put together a few of their top tips to help you pick the right plant protection fleece for your trees and plants this winter.

Thickness of Fleece

Not all horticultural fleeces are created equal! Fleeces are available in various shapes and sizes, so you should always consider the thickness of your fleece.

Frost fleece thickness is measured in grams per square metre (GSM), with a higher GSM meaning a thicker fleece. The thicker the fleece, the more protection it will offer against lower temperatures. A thick frost fleece is also durable, so it will continue to be reusable for many years.

Size of Fleece

Our frost protection fleece jacket is ideal for protecting potted plants from temperatures as low as -8°C. You should first measure the size of the pot before choosing which jacket you need:

• For pots up to 40cm diameter: W70cm x H100cm frost jacket

• For pots up to 55cm diameter: W90cm x H150cm frost jacket

• For pots up to 70cm diameter: W110cm x H200cm frost jacket

A plant frost fleece blanket provides ideal protection for allotment growers, as it can be used to cover the ground and prevent frosting. Firstly, measure the space you are looking to cover. As you will just be laying the fleece down on top of the soil, it will not be taut, so always use a larger fleece than the area you are looking to cover and secure with fabric pegs.

For anyone looking to protect palms or cordylines, you will want to loosely wrap a thick frost fleece around the crown and trunk. Typically, one pack of plant frost protection fleece will provide adequate tree frost protection, however larger trees may require a second pack.


When protecting cordylines, you can also consider tying up leaves around the crown to provide further protection from the wind. The leaves will try to fan out, forcing the fleece to create a protected air pocket around the vulnerable crown.

For any other plants, such as shrubs, hanging baskets or specimen plants, use a Plant Fleece Protection Cover. These covers feature a zip down the side and drawstring opening, allowing you to quickly and easily cover groups of plants, even if they are in borders. Begin by grouping your plants together, then check which size of cover would be most beneficial for you.

• W70cm x H95cm - Medium Maxi-Fleece Protection Cover

• W120cm x H180cm - Large Maxi-Fleece Protection Cover

Remember, always use slightly larger fleeces or jackets than you require. By leaving a gap between your plants and the frost protection, you create an air pocket that provides an extra layer of insulation for your plants.

Which plants the fleece will protect

With the right frost protection for plants, you can help any plant through the winter months.

• A frost fleece blanket is perfect for any trees, soft fruit bushes, planters, vegetable patches or ground cover.

• For potted plants, a plant frost protection jacket will provide sufficient protection from frosts.

• For smaller plants in planters, such as strawberries, consider covering with a cloche and an additional layer of frost fleece to provide ever further support.

• A Plant Fleece Protection Cover is ideal for protecting any shrubs, hanging baskets, border plants or specimen plants.

You can always consider moving your wrapped plants to a greenhouse or mini greenhouse, as these work as an additional frost protector. Smaller plants and seedlings can also be moved to a heated propagator.

If you would like to find out more about what frost protection would be best for you, feel free to give us a call on 0845 602 3774 or drop us an email at info@greenhousesensation.co.uk.. Our Gardening Angels are always happy to help and we’d love to hear about how you get on this winter!