Don’t get caught

THE ‘wrong weather’ can be heartbreaking. But in winter we can take steps to help prevent wet, rotting plants or icy, frizzled ones.

As ever, many of our woes are caused by the state of our soil. During a wet spell, water rushes through thin, gritty ground and impoverishes it by washing away nutrients. And clay soil is just as bad. Its dense structure can leave water sitting on the surface as well as preventing it from draining through.

You can avert this with well structured soil. Make thin soil crumbly and friable by adding organic material such as homemade compost, manure and leafmould. These magical ingredients have revolutionised my shallow, gritty ground over the years.

They also help to break up impermeable clay soil, if that’s your problem.

But, at this time of year, it is mulching that helps improve structure and reduces the damage caused by our relentless Scottish downpours. It acts as a cushion and prevents the soil compaction that leads to flooding and nutrient leaching.

Organic material, such as leafmould, mushroom compost or even spent commercial compost, is best. This winter duvet gradually enriches the ground, thanks to the tireless labours of our worms.

And, judging by their predilection for damp newspaper in my wormery, you could give the worms an extra treat by first covering the ground with a thick layer of newspaper or cardboard.

If possible, try to avoid using environmentally damaging black plastic unless you make it last several years. And to reduce compaction, spread damp newspaper beneath the plastic.

Many people also like to follow the traditional farming practice of spreading muck on their beds. It does break down over the winter and provides a protective cover, but some nutrients will be lost as winter rains wash them away. And it’s terribly wasteful to squander good homemade compost just now, when plants aren’t growing and absorbing its goodness.

Although most evergreens are hardy enough to cope with very cold weather, some Mediterranean herbs and winter salading may need a winter overcoat. So cover the likes of rosemary, variegated sage and endives with fleece or Enviromesh.

Protection against extreme cold and waterlogging applies equally to container growing.

Although I have to stuff the greenhouse with more tender specimens, such as lemon verbena and pelargoniums, hardier ones, such as bay, usually survive outdoors. I can rely on plant jackets to protect them