Prepare alpines for winter
Cover them now to get them through the colder months
Alpine plants are used to cold conditions, given that they often grow high in the mountains, covered by snow for much of the winter. But herein lies the secret to keeping them looking good through a British winter... a protective roof!
Snow acts like an insulator from extreme cold and gives alpine plants a relatively dry, cold environment over winter. You can mimic that in a garden setting by making some overhead protection using a glass or Perspex sheet to cover troughs and containers where practicable to do so. That way the air can still circulate freely, thus deterring mould on foliage in damp conditions, but the worst of the winter wet is kept at bay so the soil doesn’t become soggy.
The plants can usually gain enough moisture from the air during the winter, but in a prolonged dry spell it might be wise to just check that the soil has some moisture by simply scraping back some gravel and checking the soil looks damp.
When using a sheet of Perspex or glass, always ensure it's weighted down properly so that it doesn’t take flight in windy weather or you’ll be picking bits of glass out of your alpine display for months to come. Another simple way to cover a small container is by using pieces of rigid wire at each of the four corners to support a piece of glass.
A good alternative to give winter protection is to grow your alpines in a cold frame or cold greenhouse.
Slack Top Alpine Nursery, Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire. Tel: 01422 845348.
www.slacktopnurseries.co.uk. Mail order available via the website.