Overwintering

Excuse this question from an Australian. I've noticed in many of the garden books I've bought from the UK and from topics on this board that you need to 'over winter' (i.e. place into some kind of shelter) many of your plants. That isn't something we have to do here - our winters are too mild, although we have the opposite problem, how to 'over summer' for so many of our European plants.

Is over wintering common across the UK or only in places where the winters are very cold (I'm remembering back about 30 years to when I lived in London through one cold poverty-stricken winter and I really, really wish someone had overwintered me then! LOL)? Also, what kind of plants do you need to overwinter? I was surprised to see someone talking of over wintering geraniums, which for us are as tough as old boots.

The best thing about an Australian summer, though, is that so long as you keep it moist, you can transform a massive compost pile from green clippings to usable black crumbly compost in 6 weeks.

 

The 'geraniums' overwintered here are actually pelargoniums which will survive in places in Britain outside over winter, but generally are not frost proof. Things like Dahlias and Gladiolus and Argyranthemums also in most places need to be protected. It depends on where you live. Here, in this part of the West Midlands, over the last 10 years the only month we have not had frost is August. My Mother in Somerset, on the coast has not had frost for 10 years.

 

So is it the frost you need to protect plants from, rather than snow and cold?

 

Definitely frost, and then only when the plants are in damp conditions. Many 'tender' things can survive coldness as long as they are dry. Our Winters are getting milder, but even so we have to bring terracotta plant pots in. They have this nasty habit of exploding when the compost in the freezes and expands!

 

Here in Notts we have'nt had any proper snow since the winter of 78-79, our grandchildren get very excited at the smallest sprinkle which lasts about 2 hours.
By the way my wife & I cycled round part of the north & east coast of Tas in early 89, I remember Swansea, St Helens & St Marys.
E.W.

 

Up here in Scotland we can have quite cold conditions and last year the ground was frozen down to about 100mm (4") so lifting dahlia tubers and begonia corms is a must. Generally snow helps protect plants and insulates them from the cold whereas a hard frost and an easterly wind will cut a lot of things to ground level.

The real killer though was the awful cold wet spring we had this year. Not one apple or plum (though coastal areas fared better).

 

Exploding pot plants sounds like a nightmare! LOL Thanks for the explanation. Our winters are generally dry so even though parts of the country can get extreme frost it is rare to lose plants save young tender seedlings planted too early in spring.

 

In many cases borderline hardy plants die over winter because of the cold. But I read quite often that it can be winter wet that kills others. With all the rain recently my garden is soaking. As I am on clay the drainage is not so good, though I have tried to improve it. Some plants are happy in water, but I think that other plants can literally drown if their roots are under water for too long.

Penstemon are borderline hardy - but I believe these suffer more from the wet rather than the cold. Consequently fleecing them may not help, but placing a couple of handfuls of grit in the hole before planting then may well help, by improving the drainage.

 

Hi - just came in on this thread and here's a question I'd appreciate advice on. I've put bubble wrap round a couple of containers on the terrace (no proper garden alas), but I've now been told that bubble wrap is not a good idea. The trouble is central London's not a good place to find fleecee or hessian for gardening purposes. Anyone got any ideas?

 

Hi, I think the problem is that if you totally enclose the plant you will encourage mildew etc. As long as you allow for drainage at the bottom and air at the top, I think it is excellent stuff. If you did want hessian, try shops which sell upholstery materials. Most garden centres sell fleece, or you can always buy online. I recently read a tip which says raising the pot slightly will protect it more- they recommend those little 'feet' which garden centres delight in, but anythingwould do, eg bits of wood, stones, or folded cardboard.

[ 08. November 2005, 11:39 AM: Message edited by: Liz ]

 

Thanks, Liz, for the information. It's OK, then - I've only wrapped round the sides of the pots. Top has a layer of vermiculite and base is off the ground on bricks.

Looks like I can stop worrying!