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The Best Plant Covers of 2024
Last updated: Apr 18, 2024Plant covers are indispensable tools for any gardener, serving multiple purposes such as shielding plants from harsh weather, promoting rapid growth, and extending growing seasons. Whether you're a seasoned gardener or just starting out, investing in plant covers is a wise decision. To simplify your selection process, we've compiled a comprehensive list of reliable plant covers, complete with their pros and cons, and complemented by an in-depth buying guide to ensure you make a purchase you'll be satisfied with. With plant covers, you can maximize your garden's potential year-round, even when faced with unpredictable weather. Among the top choices, Punada offers the best plant cover for its quality and effectiveness.
Our Top Picks For Plant Covers
- Best Overall: Punada Plant Cover Shop Now ➔
- Most Breathable: Valibe Plant Cover Shop Now ➔
- Most User-Friendly: AQUEENLY Plant Cover Shop Now ➔
- Most Versatile: SUNPRO Plant Cover Shop Now ➔
- Most Lightweight: Gardaner Plant Cover Shop Now ➔
- Most Durable: Planket Plant Covers Shop Now ➔
The Best Plant Covers
Best Overall
The Punada plant cover is made of solid non-woven fabric that can withstand adverse weather conditions and can be used for a long period of time. It can be laid flat on the plant bed or can be supported by sticks.
It measures up to 24 feet in length and 8 feet in width, can be used to cover a large surface area! As an addition, this plant cover offers UV protection for your plant against the sun rays. Plus, the fabric is breathable and protects your plant against the frost breeze as well!
Pros
- Soft and durable material
- Provides protection against UV rays
Cons
- Not advisable for use during the day
Most Breathable
This plant cover by valibe is made up of lightweight and breathable material that works perfectly as a covering against insects and birds perching on your plants! It offers maximum protection against frost in the cold winter months and provides enough warmth to serve as a season extender.
Moreover, it has a size of 10 x 30ft and can be cut into suitable sizes and used in different ways – can either be used as a drape or supported by sticks and stones! It’s a good product and provides wide application for your garden work!
Pros
- It’s great for frosty weather
- Made up of non-woven polypropylene fabric
Cons
- It might be too thin
Most User-Friendly
Aqueenly plant cover is made of durable, breathable, and water-resistant material, which makes it a perfect choice for your plant. It protects your plants from direct sunlight, insects, and frost/snow. Moreover, it also ensures a conducive environment for young plants to grow. It has a size of 8 x 24 feet and can be easily cut into desired sizes to cover plants better.
Also, it is lightweight to not crush the plants, providing breathability and durability but isn’t too thick to prevent sunlight’s benefits for your plants.
Pros
- It is easy to cut and install
- Suitable for the growth vegetables
Cons
- It works more as ‘shading’ than ‘netting’
Most Versatile
At $17.99, this product provides a whole lot of protection for your plant against adverse weather conditions and insects or birds. It also ensures that although covered, your plants get all the air and sunlight that they need to prevent overheating or freezing. It has a size of 10 x 30 ft, can be easily cut and is very easy to install.
It’s an all-purpose floating row cover that provides the best protection blankets for trees and plants!
Pros
- Strong, long-lasting, and reusable
- Great for insulating strawberries, herbs, and perennials
Cons
- It doesn’t come with the supports/stakes
Most Lightweight
This product is made up of lightweight and durable material, perfect for quick seed growth and insulation for young plants. It can be applied in multiple ways: spread over a flower bed or propped up with a stick or metal support.
A single package contains a plant cover of 8 by 24 ft and six staples. Moreover, it works great in snow and sunshine. We believe that it’s a great accessory for germination and rapid seedling growth.
Pros
- It comes with staples
- Keeps high and low temperatures regulated
Cons
- Strong winds can tear it apart
Most Durable
Last but not least, this plant cover by the Planket offers coverage for plants ranging from bushes, plant beds, gardens, and landscape trees. It is water-resistant and extremely easy to use. It is lightweight and offers enough air for your plant. The product measures 10×20 feet rectangular and comes in green color!
You can cover an area of 200 square feet with it. Moreover, it comes with 14 built-in metal grommets that help it stay secured to the ground!
Pros
- It comes with built-in grommets
- It’s durable and available in different sizes
Cons
- May restrict airflow around the plants
Finding the Best Plant Cover: A Buyer's Guide
The importance of plant covers for garden owners and plant growers cannot be overemphasized. If you want to protect plants year round and need some clarity on what exact features to look out for when purchasing a plant cover and other necessary information like the price range they come in, this section is for you! Let’s dig in.
Importance of Plant Covers
First, we start by listing the usefulness of plant covers for your gardens. Here are a few points:
Protection from the weather
The plant covers work first and foremost as barriers against adverse weather conditions. During the summer, row covers protect plants by offering coverage from direct sunlight to prevent the soil from overheating. During winter, you may opt for fleece covers or frost blankets to keep plants warm while protecting them from cold weather, snowclogging, and erosion. In the same way, small trees can be protected using a material called tree wrap.
Protection from insects and birds
There are several plants that are susceptible to attack from insects and birds, reducing their bloom, making them weak and prone to diseases, and making them look less attractive. Using a plant cover over your plants will keep the insects away to a large extent and, as a result, provide more high-quality crops and reduce waste.
Plant germination
You can plant your seeds earlier than you should and then keep them covered with a plant cover to ensure they get just the right amount of heat, moisture, light, and air needed to germinate quickly. This way, your plant’s growing season is extended.
Quick growth
Plant covers provide the necessary conditions for your plant to grow rapidly. Especially when the ideal season is over or nature is against your plans, plant covers will have your back!
Best Material for Plant Covers: Plastic vs. Fabric
Plant covers are usually made out of either plastic or fabric, and each works best depending on the plant you intend to use it for, the climate, and how much time you intend to leave the cover on for. Here are a few differences between both of them:
Weather
Generally, plastic is a great choice for areas with very cold climates, as it does a better job of keeping the cold out, while fabric is more advisable for warmer climates as it provides less protection against the cold.
Air
Fabric covers also let in a sufficient flow of air for your plant, while the same cannot be said for plastic covers. This means that if you are making use of a plastic cover, you need to ensure that you open it up as soon as the temperature increases to prevent your plants from suffocating.
Water
Plastic covers do not let in any moisture from rain, which reduces the risk of erosion and waterlogging, while fabric covers let in water, albeit in tiny droplets. When using a plastic cover, you would have to pull off the cover on days that you wanted to water them.
What to Look Out for When Purchasing a Plant Cover
Durability
One of the very first things you should consider when getting a plant cover is how strong it is and how long it can last in harsh weather. This is because you are going to be making use of it outdoors for days at a stretch. Therefore, you need a cover that will not buckle under the weight of snow or tear in the wind.
Breathable
If your plants have a shortage of fresh air, it could lead to them dying, and so it is expedient for a plant cover, above anything else, to permit enough flow of air to the plant that it is covering.
Lightweight
A plant cover has to be lightweight because it would be placed directly above plants. If it is too heavy, it has a tendency to crush the plant beneath its weight and destroy it. This point and the two above depend largely on the material used in making the plant cover. Make sure to look out for a cover that is made out of polyester fabric or polyethylene plastic.
Size
This is another extremely important feature to be on the lookout for. A plant cover should come in a size that is large enough to cover a great deal of land surface area and can also be cut into smaller pieces to wrap around shrubs or small trees.
Ease of use
A plant cover that does not grant you ease of usage is not worth spending money on. It should be easy for you to lay the cover over a flower bed, tie it around your bushes or even prop it up with a stick.
Waterproof
Ensure that you purchase a plant cover that is water-resistant, that is, that does not allow water to get through to your plant. This will prevent erosion in cases of heavy rain and ensure that your seedbed isn’t waterlogged.
UV protection
Plants, just like humans, need protection from the harsh rays of the sun, and so it is advisable that you look out for a plant cover that offers this feature. This will ensure that you’re growing healthier, greener plants!
Cost
Inexpensive
The plant covers that fall into this category cost between $12 and $25. Most of the covers at this price simply offer the basic features of protection from weather and insects.
Mid-range
Plant covers within this price category cost anywhere between $25 and $35. At this price, you can be sure to get it in exchange for your cash. It is high-quality and great value.
Expensive
Plant covers in this category would usually cost between $35-$50. Some plant covers in this category are plastic and are used for the main purpose of season extension, while the ones which are plastic should come with clips and stands to keep them erect if need be.
For more tips on how to protect your plants, check out this great video by Epic Gardening.
People Also Asked
Should I get a plant cover that is made of plastic or fabric?
This choice should depend on the kind of weather you are experiencing in your location. If it is really cold, you might want to get a plastic cover to protect plants, as this keeps the chill away. If it's hot, fabric covers are the more advisable option.
Can I leave my plant cover on during the day?
Yes, you can. But this is only advisable if the daytime temperature isn't high. If it is, ensure that you remove the covers to keep the soil from overheating and your plant from dying.
How do plant covers prevent erosion?
The cover reduces the flow of water to the soil, thereby giving the soil time to absorb water at a much slower pace. The cover also pads the effect of the rain as it hits the ground, ensuring that the soil particles are not scattered by the force.
Article Contributors
Read More About Garden Gate Review Team HereThe Garden Gate Review Team’s product reviews and in-depth guides are here to help you choose the best products for a beautiful and bountiful garden and backyard. The content is created by The Garden Gate Review Team. Garden Gate’s editorial staff is not involved. Garden Gate is reader-supported: When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. The Garden Gate Review Team is composed of authors, editors, and gardeners. Artificial Intelligence (large language models) may have been used in the research and creation of the content.
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