Frost is something we experience a lot of in England. In simple terms, frost occurs when the air temperature in contact with the ground is below the freezing point of water). This is the kind of frost that you find on the grass first thing in the morning. There are other types of frost, but you likely don’t really need to know about these, unless you are meteorologist! Apart from glaze frost (a clear ice that you should take care of, as it sometimes looks like wet rain, so can be slippery).
Can you predict a frost? Usually if the temperature the night before is between 0 and 4 degrees C (with little cloud and wind) it’s likely to be frosty outside the next morning. Especially if the air temperature is expected to fall below zero. Obviously the further north you go, the more likely you are to get frost due to colder temperatures (the coldest place in the UK is unsurprisingly the Cairngorms National Park in Scotland).
If air moisture touches glass, this causes ice crystals that move across glass, to look like ‘ferns’. A crystal is caused by liquid molecules becoming so cold, that they cling to each other, like penguins in the Antarctic!
why gardeners must protect plants from frost
Frost melts when the sun comes out, the next morning. Plants outside can survive light frosts, but if it’s really freezing, the cold will kill them, which is why you are often told to tend seedlings indoors before planting out in spring. Or use a greenhouse or polytunnel.
Live with animals? Learn how to make your garden safe for pets. Avoid facing indoor foliage to gardens, to help stop plants flying into windows.
how to naturally defrost your car windscreens
Rather than use toxic de-icing sprays, there are other solutions:
- Park your car undercover!
- Use a windscreen cover overnight (an old car mat will do).
- Use a manual scraper (as long as you don’t wake the neighbours).
- Park your car facing east (the early morning sun will melt the ice).
- Rub an onion on the windscreen the night before. The oil lines the glass, to stop freezing (keep onions away from pets).
