Care for winter containers

Wrap up or move pots to protect them from frost

The depths of winter can be a trying time, and even with the hardiest of plants, there’s a danger of compost freezing in the pot – this will be extremely bad news for them and may kill them. Wrapping pots fully with layers of bubble wrap and fleece will go a long way to help. If you’re worried about any of your containers being a li le too exposed, put them in a frost-free greenhouse or a relatively cool conservatory to protect them a li le more. Remove plant saucers in winter so the soil remains free-draining, and make sure you don’t feed any winter containers outside. Dormant plants don’t need it, and any growth on other plants may be vulnerable to the chill.

Plants that are still in growth, such as conifers and other evergreens, may still need a li le watering over winter during dry spells, but everything else should be able to cope as it is. If snow is forecast, it’s not nearly as devastating as a frost, which will creep into plant stems and roots and kill them. Snow, as it lays on the surface of your beds and pots, can actually be quite warming for them.