Garden Quilt Row Cover to Extend the Season

Garden Quilts, Row Covers, and Hoops for March and April Garden Madness – and protecting the Eager Gardener’s early plantings. 

Many considered planting a vegetable garden in November unwise, although in most years this might not have been so foolish. Houston winters are typically mild and offer growing opportunities otherwise impossible – lettuce, cilantro, cole crops, dill, spinach, Swiss chard and beets grow best in the cooler season. They don’t grow in our humid summer heat. These vegetables mature as the days get shorter and cooler – but October plantings are recommended over November plantings. 


Knowing the risks associated with the late-fall planting and potential for a winter freeze (I hadn’t seen one for several years) I purchased some super hoops and a garden quilt (frost blanket) from Gardeners Supply Company. I placed the hoops outside in the square-foot gardens for the “just-in-case” moment.  Unfortunately those moments were far more frequent in the 2013-2014 winter than expected.  Fortunately, because of my efforts with the Garden Quilt and hoops, in March I’m still harvesting from the November planting. 

How to Use

March tree-breaking ice storm

Garden Quilts are only one type of garden fabric or row cover (aka floating row cover) designed for use in the garden to protect plants from weather (cold, wind), insects and birds, and excessive sun and heat.  All can be draped over the plants, placing them directly on the ground securing the edges with small mounds of soil or landscape/earth staples.  The lightweight fabric won’t hold the plants down and all types allow sunlight through, the amount varies depending upon the selected fabric. 

Ideally, these should be draped over hoops and secured with earth staples on the ground and clothespins on the hoops and around the edges. These can be left over the plants through the last days of fall to extend the season or over the seedlings in the early spring days. (If you don’t use hoops but have circular tomato cages, place those sideways on the ground to create a raised frame for the fabric.) 

My strategy during the winter, (knowing that we would only have a few cool days with most days in the 50s or 60s) was to remove them from the plants and replace the fabric only at times when forecasts showed nighttime temperatures close to 32 degrees.

Because my square-foot garden was divided by a grid of PVC-pipes I also used the garden structure clips from Gardeners Supply to help secure the quilt. These are fabulous and provided an easy way to secure the fabric on windy days when gusts were over 35 mph.

In winter climates I have used the wall-of-water method for protecting small tomatoes and peppers from late freezes. The Garden Quilt is an excellent way of insulating strawberries, herbs, vegetable seedlings, and tender annuals when the temperatures go where you don't want. 

The Garden Quilt:

Is made of polypropylene fibers Transmits 60 percent of available light Allows rain and over-head sprinkler water through fabric Protects to 24 degrees Can be cut to fit rows Available in three sizes (6’ x 20’, 6’ x 50’, and 12’ x 20’)

When not in use this should be allowed to dry (not in a dryer), stored clean and free of debris, and placed away from moisture and sunlight. 

Final Thoughts

I’ve been very impressed with this Garden Quilt. We had temperatures that approached 20 degrees and I was convinced my plants would succumb to the cold. Per local instructions, I watered the garden prior to covering the plants. It was always very windy with a strong, cold north wind which made the threat worse. The cover was secured tightly using clothespins, earth staples and garden structure clips. I removed this on sunny, warmer days but always kept the hoops in place and the clips and clothespins nearby.  If we ever return to a climate that doesn’t have a winter growing season I WILL use these quilts and hoops to protect my early plantings. After a serious freeze and tree-breaking ice storm my lettuce, kohlrabi, Swiss chard and everything else under the quilt remained in fine shape.