Summer might be over, but there are still plenty of gardening jobs to complete. While some jobs are more pressing than others, there’s an important task gardeners won’t want to forget.
A garden centre has warned people that there are five plants they should cover before the winter frost arrives. The advice was shared by Smith’s Garden Centre in Warwickshire. Posting on TikTok under the username @smithsgardencentre, a team member shared a video entitled: “Frost on the forecast? Here’s what to cover.”
In the caption, a team member told gardeners: “Here’s what to cover or move somewhere sheltered: Cyclamen, Heuchera, Ferns, Cordylines, and Hebes. Wrap in fleece and if they’re in pots, lift onto pot feet and move closer to the house. A little protection on these plants will help ensure they’re looking good through the winter.”
For anyone looking for more tips, presenter and designer Gardening with Ish also shared a video on the topic on his popular TikTok page @gardening.with.ish. He told his 116k followers: “When you think of winter weather, you instantly think of frost and those non-hardy plants or even tender plants may struggle a little bit.
“So frost fleecing is absolutely crucial. You can add it on top of your veggies and some of your half-hardy plants to keep them protected from a cold snap.
“You can also get something known as frost bags, which are absolutely fantastic for things like this bay tree, where the stem is pretty much okay, but the foliage you can simply pop this on top, secure this in place and leave that throughout the course of winter. Take it off in spring, it is nice and protected.”
Ish continued: “Bubble wrap is a clever little way to protect your plant pots, whether they be plastic or terracotta, from a little bit of frost damage. It stops them from becoming brittle if they’re plastic and stops them from cracking if they’re terracotta. It adds a nice layer of insulation around the plant, keeping the roots nice and happy too, and protecting your plants from those cold snaps.
“You can also protect the roots of your plants with mulch. Now, this fantastic stuff, you can either buy by the bag, use some multi-purpose compost, or you can even use shredded leaves too.
“Apply this to the base of your plant to act as another thermal layer. Not only does this help retain a little bit more moisture, but it keeps the cold away from the ground.”
He added: “One of the other amazing things about using a mulch is also it’s an organic material, so as the wet weather waters this down, it will break some of it down, acting as a slow-release feed throughout the course of winter and early spring, giving your plants a really good kick start.”
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