LOOKING AFTER YOUR CUTTINGS
Simple care will help them through winter, says Ruth
Ruth explains how to help them through the winter
If you took cuttings of favourite plants in summer and autumn, you are probably keeping your fingers crossed that they will see winter through successfully.
I took several sets of cuttings, from tender perennials to rockery plants and hardwood cuttings. I also potted up a set of last autumn’s blackcurrant hardwood cuttings and am nursing them through the winter to plant out next spring.
So how to keep them healthy? Most cuttings will be fine in a greenhouse or cold frame or indoors, but they they all have slightly different requirements.
Those indoors are more likely to dry out in a centrally-heated atmosphere, so keep them in a cool room with plenty of light, check them regularly and water where needed.
If they are overwintering in a greenhouse they will need good ventilation to prevent mould and fungal problems. Open windows and doors on warm days, making sure you close them in the afternoons. Check for pests sheltering from the cold, too.
Cold frame cuttings are the most vulnerable. Lift the frame lid on warm, dry days to improve airflow and check the plants regularly for pests. Use a layer of grit spread to deter slugs and snails, and a humane mousetrap will remove hungry rodents.
Make sure the cold frame is
somewhere sheltered and won’t blow away in strong winds (as mine did last year) and have some horticultural fleece or old carpet ready to lay over he top during periods of intense cold.