As a potential big chill looms, Sue Hamilton takes steps to protect tender plants
'Plants such as Cordyline, Dicksonia (tree fern), Phormium and small bay trees will need to be protected in all but the most southern counties, in order to guarantee their survival during the worst winter weather.'
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| Wrap frost-susceptible tree ferns with a double layer of fleece
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November 2007: The worst of the winter weather does not really begin at Barnsdale Gardens until November or December, so November is a good month to be protecting tender plants from the cold, icy blasts to come.
Tender plants can either be protected in situ, or moved into a more sheltered place. Their treatment will depend on the individual plants, as some will stand the winter outside with a covering of some sort, while others require the protection of a greenhouse or conservatory.
Horticultural fleece
Plants such as
Cordyline,
Dicksonia (tree fern),
Phormium and small bay trees will need to be protected in all but the most southern counties, in order to guarantee their survival during the worst winter weather. As they are evergreen, I like to leave them until I hear the night-time temperature is going to fall below -4ºC (39ºF), so that I get as much benefit from the evergreen foliage in the garden as possible.
In the places where I have these plants, they will all survive a very cold winter wrapped with horticultural fleece. This is an excellent material that will keep out about two degrees of frost and as it is light, water and air-permeable, it can be left on through the whole winter.
Some perfectly hardy plants, mainly alpines, can withstand the penetrating frosts when they are growing in very dry areas, so I have to protect these from the winter rain, not the cold, by covering them with a cloche, bell jar or even just a sheet of glass.
Lift and pot up
I will lift other plants, such as
Arctosis,
Argyranthemum,
Gazania and
Osteospermum, during early November, cut them back by about a half to two thirds their size and pot them into a container that is only slightly larger than their rootballs. I hardly water these at all during winter, as they will rot quickly if too wet. If we have a particularly cold winter, I will move them into the heated greenhouse to join the pelargoniums and
Begonia rex plants that were salvaged from various summer containers and flower borders, as these varieties must have frost-free protection throughout the winter.
I have to juggle plants between greenhouses most years. Whatever size your greenhouse, it is important not to cram plants too close together, as poor air circulation will cause rotting problems.
Look further
Nick and Sue Hamilton run
Barnsdale Gardens in Rutland, Leicestershire, formerly owned by the late Geoff Hamilton.
Photograph: Redshift Photography
* For more on tender plants, plant protection and winter gardening, see Related Articles at the bottom of this page.
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