Daily gardening tip · Southern hemisphere · Thursday 20 August 2026 · late winter
Vent your winter plant covers
As the late winter sun grows stronger, closed plastic covers and cold frames can trap intense heat and damage your young plants.
5 minuteseasyheat protection
Walk through your garden in the mid-morning to locate any covered plants.
Prop open the lids of cold frames or lift the edges of plastic cloches.
Leave a gap of at least two inches to allow trapped hot air to escape.
Check that the soil under the covers is still damp, watering lightly if it feels dry.
Close the covers completely in the late afternoon to trap warmth for the cold night.
Why it works
Clear glass and plastic covers trap solar radiation, creating a greenhouse effect. On sunny late winter days, the temperature inside an unvented cover can quickly rise to levels that wilt or scorch tender plants, even if the outside air still feels cool.
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