UK’s best frost protection fleece for plants: Horticultural fleece to stop plants freezing

One of the most popular garden fleece covers is the Haxnicks Fleece Jacket and it really is a nice horticultural fleece – certainly my top pick for the UK weather, that can be bought in three different sizes: a pack of four small covers, three medium covers, or two large covers. The small and medium packs are priced the same, but if you opt for the two large ‘jackets’, they will cost a little more.

We got our hands on the large ones, and they measured 120cm x 180cm, a good size for small trees and larger plants. The Haxnicks jackets are called so because they are designed to slip over the plants and be secured by a drawstring at the bottom, rather than having to be wrapped around like some other types of plant fleece products. Of course, this has its pros and cons. On the plus side, it means there are no gas in the cover for icy winds and chills to get in, which can happen when you wrap pants yourself, but on the other hand, the design of these covers means that if your plants is considerably wider than the bag, you won’t be able to use it.

The covers, no matter what size you buy, are made from 35GSm polypropylene, which is a strong and durable material. However, these have been made quite thin to let moisture and air through, so you will still have to be a little careful with them to make sure you don’t tear them.

I do like the design of these fleece covers though, I have to say. It just makes things quicker and easier to remove and replace them when you get a sunny spell and want to treat your plants to a bit of sunlight.  These fleece bags have a slightly green tint to them. And this makes them less likely to stand out in your garden, which I personally thought was a good thing, and this is another tick in the ‘’pros’ column for the Haxnicks product.

In the end, these bags are well priced, of decent quality, and very quick and easy to use. Not too bad at all, and especially good for people ‘wrapping’ plants for the first time.

With the same drawstring sealed bag design as the Haxnicks Fleece Jacket, the RenhuangFuxi plant fleece frost protection covers offer you the same ease of use as their competitor too. Available in either small (100cm x 80cm) or large (180cm x 120cm), the RenhuangFuxi fleece frost protection are a little bit more expensive for the small and for the large version as well.

What do you get for the extra money? Well, the main thing that I noticed, is that the material of the RenhuangFuxi fleece is thicker and feels a bit more durable. After looking up the specs, my suspicions were confirmed, with this product being made of 60GSM non-woven fleece, as opposed to the 35GSm of the Haxnicks. Obviously this thicker material means that these bags are going to be more durable, but I was worried that they might not let the plant breath well. However, I was wrong, and they have been well designed in order to allow air to penetrate the fleece.

They have also been made to be UV resistant, and this should stop them from falling apart after a single winter and let you use them again the following year, which is something that can’t be said for all plant frost protection products. 

If you’re thinking that being UV resistant means that light won’t get to your plants inside the cover, there’s no need to worry. These transparent covers will still allow light to pass through them and keep your plants alive and healthy. You also get a drawstring and zipper with these so it should make fitting them around the most difficult plants all that bit easier.

So, to sum up. These fleece frost protection covers for your plants are a good pick if you don’t have time to spend wrapping your plants this winter. They have a beginner friendly design, and are made of thicker than usual material when compared to their rivals, and I think that makes them worth the extra few pounds you have to spend on them.

While the two above products do provide convenience and speed, there are limits to how they can be used, such as plant dimensions. Some people still prefer to buy a large roll of material that they cut down to size themselves for the versatility it provides them. If you are more to this way of thinking, then the Ambassador frost protection plant fleece might be for you.

With this horticultural fleece you get a 16 metres by 1 metre roll of their fleece material to do with as you please. Having the extra material means you can double wrap more delicate plants, or cut longer pieces to cover entire beds.

The material is quite thin at only 17 GSM, and very lightweight, but it is surprisingly strong, especially when you wrap with a double layer. The thinness of the fleece has its advantages, such as allowing a good amount of air and moisture to get through to the plants within, but I don’t think it would last more than a couple of winters before needing replacing. Then again, that could be said for most of these kinds of products.

With the fleece being on a roll, it does make wrapping trees and plants easier than when the material arrives as a folded flatpack, but it still takes time and a little care to get things just right. You’ll also have to find some way of securing the fleece as there is no zip or drawstring to fasten it in place.

Still, for the money, you get a decent amount of material, and the quality is about what you’d expect for the price, so no complaints from me.I would guess that because of the thinness of the fleece, this would probably only provide protection against a light frost, so for harsher conditions, you might want to buy something thicker. Apart from that, it’s a good product.

If you’re looking for something thicker and stronger to wrap your most delicate plants, you might want to consider this hessian burlap frost protection ribbon from your gardenmate. For just over ten pounds you get a 25 metres x 15cm ribbon that can provide protection from more than just frost. Many people use hessian burlap ribbons like this to wrap around the trunks of their trees to stop damage to the bark by squirrels and other animals, and from what I’ve heard, it does a cracking job of it too.

That’s not to say that you shouldn’t consider using this product to protect your plants this winter. The 200 GSM material is very thick and will provide great insulation and frost protection, but is also a wide enough weave to make sure your plants can breathe too. In fact, I would say that the ventilation provided by this material is superior to plastic based materials that are more commonly used. Because this hessian material is a natural fibre, it is biodegradable, and as so can be laid down and used as a temporary mulch, perfect for protecting roots from frost.

This is a durable product, and I reckon you would get a few good winters out of it before you had to replace it, so the price tag is more than fair, in my opinion. In addition, the ribbon design makes it easier to wrap more unusually shaped plants and shrubs and the thickness of the material means it is great for things like palm trees and olive trees, that can often be under threat in colder climates come winter.

Looking for something extra thick to provide warmth and protection for your containers from the harshest of winters? Well, look no further. These insulating mats are made from natural fibres, and are very thick, just the thing to wrap around your plant pots to stop the root freezing, or lay on your beds to protect new plants. This is essentially the same as the Hanging Basket Liner material:

This material is 100% biodegradable and is completely harmless to your plants. It is also very durable and will last you a long time, being able to be used again and again. I like the fact that you can order as much or as little as you like of this garden frost protection, and it comes as a 10 metre roll 75cm in height. It’s not a bad price for something that is going to last you for a fair old while and offer you excellent protection.

Despite its thickness, this insulating mat is quite breathable, something I was surprised by, and its insulating properties are quite excellent. Now, I wouldn’t wrap the entire plant in this stuff, but to wrap around the plant pot, and use a thinner, plastic cover for the actual plant would be an excellent combination, one that I think would be ideal for seeing your plants through the dark and cold months.

All being said, this is an excellent, albeit slightly limited product, that would be best used in conjunction with one of the lighter covers to provide complete protection.