Protecting Plants

 

                                                        My home made mini propagator

There have been a few weather warning signals over the last few weeks to give us time to protect our more tender plants. It probably won’t stop most of us scrambling at the last moment attempting to protect the outdoor pots and containers when a frosty night comes. 

We have had a few strong winds, although not enough to blow my boiler pilot light out in the garage (which is always the first thing to go even before a twig has fallen from a tree) and I had a near miss with a cold snap but as yet there has been no frost. My nasturtiums tell me when the first freeze has come as they turn to mush and drop all over the paths. No amount of frost stops the seeds of these plants from being viable so they will be back with a vengeance next year.

Getting Cold

This winter will be pretty cold, they usually are. If you read social media, this winter will be the worst ever. Realistically though we will get a few frosts. 

Frost

Frost causes the water in plant cells to freeze, damaging the cell wall. Frost-damaged plants such as my nasturtiums are easy to spot; their growth becomes limp, blackened and distorted. Evergreen plants often turn brown and the leaves of tender plants take on a translucent appearance. Frost problems are often made worse where plants face the morning sun, as this causes them to defrost quickly, rupturing their cell walls. It’s not just our annuals in pots that are affected, hardy plants and tough evergreens can also be damaged by prolonged spells of severe cold when soil becomes frozen. Roots are unable to take up water and plants die from lack of moisture. 

Minimising damage

We can take a few steps to minimize the damage to our plants.

• Plants with tender flower buds or shoots do better when not planted in east-facing sites.
• Leave the old growth of tender plants unpruned over the winter months. This will help to protect the central crown of the plant and take the brunt of any frost damage. If plants are cut back hard in autumn new growth could be damaged by frost. Tender perennial plants and old dead flowers look wonderful when covered in frost.
• Cold air and frost always descend to the lowest point in a garden so plant the more tender varieties higher up the garden.
• Golden or variegated plant varieties are often more tender so check the hardiness of a plant before you buy.
• Choose plants that are reliably hardy in Inishowen, we have the salty sea air to contend with too.
• Hang fire with the high-nitrogen fertilisers as they encourage plants to make lots of sappy leafy growth that is particularly susceptible to damage, especially early and late in the year.
• Plant tender specimens in a sheltered spot, under large trees and shrubs or against walls, give them some heat and protection during the winter.

Fleece

I have been making a bench and frame in the tunnel to protect my young chamomile plants. I’ve spared no expense, making the legs out of old bar stools found in a skip outside a local pub when they were having a clear out. They are stainless steel so should last the winter. I have used some marine ply for the top and covered them with the multi cell containers. For the first time ever I am going to try the horticultural fleece. It might give that little bit extra protection against the cold when I put it over the hoops I made from old plastic piping and a few screws. I think its main function will be to keep the cold wind from scorching the leaves though. I am putting some of the cuttings outside and some in the tunnel unprotected as an experiment to see if it makes any difference putting time and energy into protecting the plants. I have a few more sheets of the fleece so I can maybe use it outside, either as a cover for some tender plants or to look a bit like snow when the festive season is upon us.

Other things

I think drainage has a lot to do with plants perishing over the winter months too. Waterlogged soil does the roots no good at all and can be fatal if it freezes. Leaving old plants and green manures such as mustard on the soil can help to keep erosion to a minimum and if you access to straw this could help around perennials and keep a bit of heat in the soil.