Keeping containers healthy
Plan ahead to ward off those winter woes, says Ruth
BASKETS and containers are so easy to create and such a wonderful way of bringing colour and fun to the garden, but they are more vulnerable to winter problems than almost any other area of the garden.
They can become waterlogged in prolonged rain, battered and damaged by gales, and freezing conditions can crack pots and freeze compost, causing plants to die.
Luckily, all these potential problems are generally easy to sidestep with a bit of forethought and a few precautions.
Avoid waterlogged pots by raising them up on feet or bricks to allow excess water to flow away and reduce the risk of frozen compost.
The latter can also be safeguarded against by swaddling pots in fleece or bubble wrap, making sure the top and bottom are left open, and the compost mulched with straw or well-rotted organic matter, to allow water in to keep roots hydrated but able to escape.
Pots containing perennials can be laid on their side somewhere sheltered, again wrapped in fleece, to avoid the worst of the weather.
Alternatively, move them into the greenhouse or a cool, light porch.
It’s also a good idea to group containers planted up with seasonal bedding somewhere sheltered.
Hanging baskets are extremely vulnerable to wind damage in winter, so take them down when gales are forecast and stand them on a pot somewhere sheltered until the weather improves.
Don’t worry if plants look horribly battered by the end of winter. Remove seriously damaged and dead leaves to keep plants healthy and make room for the healthy new growth that will start to shoot when warmer weather arrives.