You know that humans need energy; just like humans, plants need energy throughout the day. With the help of a chemical called chlorophyll, plants can convert energy from the sun into chemical compounds that they can use. This process is called photosynthesis. Chlorophyll, the main facilitator of photosynthesis, absorbs blue and red light and reflects green light. Due to this, the plants look green.

Plants are green because they have a green pigment inside called chloroplasts (part of the plant cell) called chlorophyll.

This pigment molecule absorbs magenta (red and blue) colors, so the plant appears green under white light (green and magenta lights combine to make white light).

The green pigment common to all photosynthetic cells absorbs all wavelengths of visible light except green, which is reflected by our eyes.

Why are some plants not green?

Although plants are generally considered green, some are not. If a plant appears any other color, such as red, it does not necessarily mean that the plant lacks chlorophyll. Other pigments can mask the green color, causing the plant to display a different color. In this case, the plant is still an autotroph (self-feeder), using photosynthesis to produce energy. However, the chlorophyll color is only being masked.

Some plants do not have chlorophyll and, therefore, do not appear green. These plants are called heterotrophs, which means “second food.” As their name suggests, they cannot make their own food and will either obtain nutrients from other plants or eat fungi.

What is a frost?

When climate forecasters difficulty a frost advisory in past spring and early fall, that is your heads, as well as shield annuals and different prone flowers. You might think temperatures need to get to the freezing point (32˚f), but a frost can occur between 36˚f and 32˚f. Additionally, frost can be mild or tough; a mild frost around the upper part of that temperature variety might kill the tops of smooth vegetation, but the lower elements remain inexperienced. A tough frost occurs while temperatures hover around 32˚f for a few hours, enough to kill all above-floor parts.

Below 32 °F is taken into consideration as a freeze, which is more unfavorable than a frost. Soft plant life, along with tropical houseplants and geraniums, is killed while the air temperature stays below 32 °F for some hours. A freeze caution frequently signals the end of the developing season in the fall due to the fact that temperatures are low enough to kill off annuals and start dormancy for hardy perennials, trees, and shrubs. A freeze warning in spring is an indication that you ought to deliver smooth plants internally.

How to Protect Plants from Frost

The weather may be erratic because it transitions from autumn to wintry weather and again from iciness to spring.  It’s far more common to have below-freezing temperatures in late September or early October, followed by a stretch of hotter temperatures per week or more.  While this temperature dip occurs, protecting plants may be useful, permitting you to maintain harvest and revel in them on your lawn longer.

It is also commonplace to have a period of warmer temperatures in overdue March or early April, which could bring plant life out of dormancy, followed by freezing temperatures that can potentially harm the new increase or rising flora.

Protecting plants in the course of the season’s first frost or freeze occasion can let you experience the gardening season only a little bit longer.  Below are suggestions on protecting garden flora from freezing temperatures in the fall and spring.

Bring Plants Indoors

Bringing plant life indoors is the perfect way to shield them from frost or freeze damage.  Potted tropical and annual boxes can be pulled right into a heated room or porch or right into an included and warm shape, including storage, to shield them overnight.

Cover Plants

If plants are not easily moved inside, then they can be protected with coverings. Potential coverings consist of sheets, blankets, towels, tarps, frost cloth, or row cowl fabric.  Those coverings help lure the radiant warmth from the ground, maintain frost from forming on the leaves, and lessen the chance of flora freezing.  Use stakes, posts, pipes, patio furnishings, noticed horses, twine loops, or other systems to elevate the covering so it does not touch the foliage. Cast off the protection tomorrow when temperatures get above freezing.

Cold Frames and Hoop Tunnels

Bloodless frames, grow tunnels, floating row covers, and comparable structures can also trap radiant heat from the soil to help prevent frost from forming on veggies or different flowers.  The coverings of those structures should be opened or eliminated in the course of the day and pulled over or closed before temperatures drop below freezing.

If you would like to read about How to care for air plants, Click here