Even if it's too late to protect plants from frost and snow, a lot can still be done to ensure the damage is minimised, as Caroline Lowbridge finds out

ALTHOUGH it can make a garden look beautiful, snow and frost can be a big problem for gardeners, damaging plant growth and killing tender plants. Prevention is better than cure, and many plants can be protected with methods such as mulching, building fleece-covered frames, insulating with bubble wrap or simply moving pots indoors.

But if your plants have been damaged by the prolonged cold spell over the last few weeks, they can still recover, given time.

"Anything that's survived what we've just been through I think is going to be OK," says Caroline Wright, lecturer in horticulture at Nottingham Trent University.

One might assume it is best to move potted plants indoors now – but if they have already been frosted, this could harm them further.

"Don't be tempted to try to thaw them out, because that's where you will cause damage," says Caroline.

"You cause more damage when you defrost something quickly, and the change of temperature can be damaging as well."

However, it's a good idea to remove snow from the branches of large trees, shrubs and hedges, to prevent them from becoming disfigured by the weight.

"You can knock the snow off evergreens and hedges because the weather can cause damage to the branches – they can break under the weight. If that has already happened, you can prune them to make a clean cut, because they will be quite ragged."

However, Caroline advises against pruning while it is still cold.

"Prune off anything frost-bitten, but I would wait until the end of the winter," she says. "If the tips have been burned by the frost or damaged by frost, the outer growth still protects the dormant buds inside. So however tempting as it is to cut off any damaged bits now, wait until later."

You should remove heavy deposits of snow from the roofs of greenhouses or cold frames. This will let in the light and prevent the structures from bending under the weight.

Gardeners should also remember to avoid walking on their lawns as it will damage the turf underneath.

"Try and keep off the grass," says Caroline. "It's not quite so bad when it's frozen solid, but when the layers start to defrost, you can really compact it by walking on it."

A layer of snow over the lawn also means that rabbits are not able to eat the grass. Instead, they may turn to the bark of trees as a source of food, causing damage as they nibble away.

Hungry rabbits have caused a lot of damage at Nottingham Trent's Brackenhurst Campus, home to the School of Animal, Rural and Environmental Sciences.

"They particularly like fruit trees," says Caroline.

At Brackenhurst they use tree guards, but anything can be used as a physical barrier.

"A piece of cardboard would be better than nothing," she says.

If your garden has a fish pond, it's important to create a gap in the ice if it freezes over, so oxygen can get through.

City and Guilds evening courses in gardening are starting at Nottingham Trent's Brackenhurst Campus over the coming week.

Unit 10: Garden Design starts on Tuesday, Unit 9: Organic Gardening starts on Wednesday, and Unit 13: Growing Fruit starts on Thursday.

Each class is from 7pm to 9pm and the 10-week courses cost £98.

Unit 12: Growing vegetables and salads and Unit 5: Plant Propagation both start on April 15. Unit 11: Garden History starts on April 13.

Find out more at are.enquiries@ntu.ac.uk or by calling 01636 817099.