Images: Jonathan Buckley
Now that we’re deep in the colder months, maintaining the garden will keep it vibrant during winter, ready to thrive once the seasons roll around again. In recent years, the UK’s unpredictable winter weather has made planning rather tricky, so leave no stone unturned and prepare for all scenarios.
Sarah Raven, expert gardener, podcaster, and author of The Cutting Garden amongst other books, shares her advice on how to protect and nurture your garden during the colder months.
Frost Protection
Mulching beds and borders insulates the soil, allows plant roots to retain warmth and moisture, and offers protection from frost damage. Apply a thick mulch layer before the first hard frost hits, and then again when the last frost passes in spring. Tender plants like pelargoniums will be particularly grateful and will hopefully emerge from the cold in good condition.
Recently, we’ve had milder winters in southern England, so I leave dahlias to overwinter in the soil. Once the first frosts arrive, cut them back to within 10cm of the ground and cover them with a thick mound of mulch. If we have a harder winter on our hands, bring dahlias indoors to be on the safe side.
Move other potted plants indoors to avoid the harsh outside environment. A shed or barn will offer sufficient shelter, but if that’s not an option, cover them in eco-friendly bubble wrap to insulate the pots and prevent cracking.
Festive Bulbs
Liven up the festivities ahead of Christmas by forcing bulbs for a touch of floral beauty inside. Go for powerfully scented forms with delicate flowers as the fragrance they bring into the house in December is so uplifting. Paperwhite narcissi are the classic choices for forcing, such as 'Ziva', 'Tête-à- tête', and one of my favourites, 'Avalanche', but almost any of the highly scented Tazetta varieties do well.
Plant narcissi in large, deep pots just below the surface of the soil. These are ideal for the vast root structure providing you plant your prepared bulbs as soon as possible ahead of Christmas, or keep them somewhere cool and dark. If you already see a green shoot coming out of the bulb when you receive them, don’t remove it.
Most bulbs for forcing need 10 to 15 weeks in the cold to flower well. Ideally, keep them between 1.5C and 10C in a cupboard, shed, or garage. Once they've enjoyed their cool period, bring them in somewhere warmer above 15C, and they will quickly sprout, then bloom. It may be Christmas, but as far as they are concerned, spring has arrived, and you’ll have beautiful blooms in no time.
Winter Care
Don’t forget to check up on summer-flowering bulbs and tubers being stored over winter. If any are showing signs of mould or rot, remove the affected plant to prevent the issue from spreading.
Shrubs need to be well maintained during winter. Prune climbing roses now, cutting away damaged growth and reducing old shoots by two-thirds to prepare them for a fresh burst of blooms in spring. Pruning ornamental vines is another good task for this time of year, they grow rapidly so need to be kept in check. Keep the main stems intact for structure and trim sideshoots back to two buds.
Harvesting Herbs And Vegetables
Brussel sprouts, cabbages, parsnips, and new potatoes planted earlier in the year should be ripe for harvesting by now. Try to use as fresh home-grown produce as possible over the festive period, not only is it fresher and delicious, you’ll also be doing your bit for the environment.
Make good use of windowsills during winter with a mini herb garden for rosemary, parsley, and sage. It’s a real treat to have fresh herbs close by for easy picking, especially with all the cooking at Christmas.
