Coleus canina issue

Even if they were properly ready for outside when they arrived, potting them up and giving them more TLC than they need will do no harm

And given that they are half-hardy they ought not to be outside until risk of frost is over.

If you have't got anywhere suitable indoors they can be out during the day, sheltered from any wind, and come in overnight. They don't need any light at night so a garage or shed would be good enough ...

 

@Cardia don't worry, don't doubt yourself and ask away, that's what the forum is for, personally I would leave what you have planted, if need be you can buy them again.

 

Have you got some way to perhaps build a "tent" type temporary structure over the ones you already planted? Nothing fancy, just some sticks for supports and clear plastic, even cheap painters drop stuff will do. Make sure the side are tucked in overnight and on cold cloudy days and open up if it gets warm/sunny so your plants don't cook. Like making a temporary cold frame

 

Thanks both

I don’t have that kind of material at the moment unfortunately. I do have a shed... so I can dig them out if it’s needed and pot them. The next concern then would be getting hold of more compost, this lockdown is making it all a lot harder. I’m being a bit wishful I guess with the good weather coming up.

I can leave them if that’s an option, I was hoping not to lose any/many as this was my maternity leave project and now with the lockdown I can’t really afford to be replacing them.

The replacement cat shoo coming I will pot and care for a few weeks will they are ready to go in Andy replace the ones that have gone. It’s the weigela that now needs the extra care so I’ll dig them out tomorrow and pot them.

That leaves the lavender which to be fair mostly looks good, there’s one or two that could go either way.

Then finally the bare root - please don’t tell me I should have potted those, there’s a lot of those planted in (it’s a pretty large raised bed!)

 

You could try cutting the bottom off a 2L Pop bottle and putting that over them (leave the cap off for some air). It won't protect them enough on a cold night though ...

If you don't have any compost then soil, in the pot, will do (as advocated by Monty Don on Gardeners World this week ...)

How big is the Weigela? That ought to be happy outside ... I am guessing it came in a 2L pot or bigger, and was grown outdoors, but if it is very small then potting it and growing on a bit first would help.

Lavender may have been grown outdoors, but either way I think they fare best if planted quite late - into warm weather - June onwards. Ought to be OK now, unless its a fancy French variety? - the ones with the pointy-ears on the flowers

Are the bare root plants shrubs or herbaceous? Although not sure it makes any difference, sounds like they were probably outdoor plants and should be happy outside. I would, again, be going on size, if they are decent sized plants (definitely anything would need a 2L pot, and plenty of herbaceous arrives smaller than that and is intended to plant out) they should be fine. For anything on the small side the bottomless 2L Plastic Pop bottle as a cover would help.

 

Ooohh I never thought of the bottles, I'll see if I have any.

The weigela is quite young (see attached), I was thinking about these last night and I'm now thinking that in the the long run they may be better located elsewhere (mainly because of their full grown size potential) So if it's not going to stress them more, i may pot them until autumn - would that work?

The lavender are English I believe, a mix of Rosea & Angustifolia.

The bare roots again are a few different plants including Astilbe, Eryngium, Dahlias & Astilbe.

 

That'll be the next problem ... we don't drink that and only have a supply in Summer when a variety of friends bring young kids round and we fill them full of E-Numbers to liven things up

Yes, looks small .. smaller than I was expecting ... always a trade off between price and size ... I tend to buy cheap / small, to stretch my budget, and grow on for a year or so (under cover, to hurry it up) before planting out ... but I have a big garden, a greenhouse, and I have a long list of projects that I can buy-ahead for ... most people aren't doing that.

Personally that's what I would do.

OK, theysn hould be hardy ... but if they were grown in, and sent to you direct from, a greenhouse they need some "hardening off" before being subjected to cold and wind. 2L Pop bottle would do there ... I reckon your next shop is going to be all Coca Cola

Of those the Dahlias won't take any frost (personally I would pot them on and protect [e.g. bring in on cold nights] for a bit). For the rest ... Pop bottles again I reckon

 

Sorry can't quote, typing one handed on a mobile

Just got the OH to dig through the bottles bin we have 15! There a mix of see through so I'll get them prepared. There are far too many bare roots though so I may have to leave them and keep my fingers crossed.
I may start collecting bottles though and use them to cover what does grow from autumn, I was planning to leave the dahlias etc in the ground and cover them with well rotted manure for winter anyway so the bottles may be a good addition (leaving them in and covering was a suggestion by one website to protect the roots if you can't lift them each winter). What do you think?

Is it going to be a bit late to harden the plants off now as they've been in for a few weeks now?

 

yes, can do. They may rot, particularly in a really wet winter, or be eaten, but most survive (if you aren't too far North). I don't do that because if they are left out they flower much later than if they are started off in February in the greenhouse - so I lift mine, I don't do all the properly organised drying etc., I do let them dry for a bit to get my clay off them, and then pot them up there-and-then in fairly dry compost (mix of my compost heap, some top soil and Leafmould) and then just water them a bit in February to start them off.

First part of that was nice weather, so that should have helped. Given they were/are small plants I would give them all the help you can (i.e. to keep the wind and cold off them)

 

Thanks! You've been really helpful and given me some ideas!

 

Progress! I found one of those mini cheap greenhouses in the shed and have relocated the weigela. I've popped little bottle houses on the coleus, I did see some green at the base of the stems. I already have replacements for these coming which I'll pot, however If these ones survive then bonus!

I've spotted some of the plants coming through already theres even a dahlia popping through in one of the planters.

I did check the soil for moisture under the surface and it did seem to be a bit dry.... I did a heavy watering this morning and wonder if I should be watering more ( I was going to do every two days for a couple of weeks then move to every 3/4 days).

Posted the pictures I could

 

"Give more water, less often" ... so your schedule looks right to me, but give then plenty each time, otherwise you will only wet-the-surface, and that will dry out. Water needs to be sufficient to soak in, and then the roots will be happy for some days (depends on the weather ... but if it isn't particularly warm they won't consume as much, although wind will dry them out too ...)

if you are on a sandy soil the water will soak away unfortunately, on a clay soil you should find that its still pretty moist down a few inches.

 

Hi again with a couple of cold spells recently I used the bottle method on the cat shoo and some dahlias. I got confused though about using the lids and out them on at night, I'm now doubting that decision. When, if at all do the caps get used? There seems to be conflicting info online and nothing explanatory.
That also got me thinking about winter, would I use caps then also?

Thanks for any guidance you can provide

 

I've never been one to mess around with things like this, if you harden off plants correctly and plant at the right time it's not necessary.
As for winter, just no point, if a plant is not hardy a bottle won't save it.