BEAT THE BIG CHILL
PLANTS CAN SUFFER IN A WINTER FREEZE, SO GIVE THEM A HELPING HAND
BRITAIN has shivered its way through Arctic temperatures recently. But a white Christmas is only declared if one snowflake is seen falling on the big day somewhere in the UK. However, according to the Met Office, we are more likely to see snow between January and March than in December, with snow or sleet falling on average on 3.9 days in December, compared to 5.3 days in January, 5.6 days in February and 4.2 days in March. So what damage does the sudden change in temperature and the weight of the snow do? Our natural environment and the plants we grow are quite resilient. Snow can be a great unifier. We can even enjoy the change in the landscape as the white covering hides any imperfections or jobs not yet done. So there’s not much gardening you can do while there’s a blanket of snow. But when the thaw arrives, what damage may have been done and how do we set that right?
Damage will have been done to plants but many of them will get over it. The water in the plant cells freezes, bursts the cell walls and these damaged plants are easy to spot. Their foliage becomes limp, maybe even blackened. Foliage on evergreen plants can turn brown. When soil becomes frozen, even hardy varieties can suffer as the cold roots may be unable to take up water. If we are to suffer late snows or even frosts into April and May, a lot of damage can be done to new shoots, buds and flowers. If you see damaged foliage, give it a while. Nature has a great way of sorting itself out and rather than lop off burnt fronds, they may help to protect fresh growth in spring. Another area of the garden that suffers through the snow is your lawn. Try and avoid walking on it as your weight will cause damage. Wait for it to thaw completely.
To help mitigate some of these issues, an autumnal mulching of the ground around hardy species is a good idea. It stops the root freeze and allows the plant to continue to drink despite the cold. In anticipation of heavy frosts or snows, it may be worth wrapping less hardy species. Plants like Dicksonia antarctica, the less hardy palms and bananas can be wrapped. For Dicksonias, place some straw into the crown of the fern, not packing too tightly so new emerging fronds in spring will not be damaged. Insulate the trunks of tree ferns, palms and bananas by wrapping in fleece or hessian stuffed with straw. If snow settles on unprotected fronds of ferns or palms, shake it off gently with a yard brush. If a branch has broken, make a clean cut at an angle, about an inch from the trunk to allow it to heal faster. Remember that pots and containers may also be vulnerable to freezing and breaking. If you’ve had warning of impending cold, shift your pots into a protected space.