Frost protection measures

Over the last couple of weeks I have been advised by various people to protect my seedlings during the frost season with hay.

Looking at the forecast for the next couple of days it looks like now is as good a time as any to implement this advice so this evening I went past a well known large shop and bought some hay bedding normally used by people with small animals as pets.

As it was dark, today presented the first opportunity for me to use the flood lights in the garden. They are so bright, and really were useful.

My hay. Hopefully it is multi-purpose and not only useful for rabbits and other small animals.

Slightly battered looking onions; I didn't cover these back up with their cloche after the weekend and unfortunately snow came back and before the snow, hail. Fingers crossed they haven't been bashed so hard they die :/

The broccoli, however, was covered with a cloche and therefore shows no ill effects of ice-beating from hail stones. The plants towards the bottom left of this picture have also had a bit of a growth spurt and are looking rather good :)

Starting to cover with hay; having never done this before I have no idea how much I should be putting over the top. My concern is that I may kill the plants by cutting off their sun (not that there is any sun at the moment but yeah).

The broccoli and onions covered in hay, and then the hay held down by the cloches.

Fingers crossed this doesn't back fire and I end up with lovely healthy plants after this period of cold has passed.

Either way, I'm learning.

If you have anything to add, please do shout and I will be very pleased of the advice.

Cheers