Winter protection

Have you ventured out in your garden this year? Now is actually a great time to garden as you can analyse the structure of your garden before growth gets out of hand.

It has been a rough time for plants. Prolonged periods of low temperatures, cold winds, frost and snow have left telltale signs of damage. Blackened evergreen foliage and buds suggest your plant has been seriously frosted. Leaves lightly scorched lightly brown have been burnt by cold winds and/or frost. It is more noticeable in the variegated parts of evergreen leaves. These should be OK if the leaf doesn’t turn completely black or brown.

So, what can you do to help in the short term? Do not prune damaged plants until they begin to show signs of growth in the spring. Branches help to trap air for insulation plus frost damage may not be as bad as first appearances suggest. Pruning can also stimulate growth and you don’t want the flush of new growth damaged by cold temperatures.

It is not too late to cover vulnerable plants with a breathable covering. The effects of cold temperature vary with plant species, stage of growth, age, health and water content. If you are replacing plants think about selecting frost-tolerant plants grown in a cold provenance of Scotland. Mclarens Nurseries in Barrhead (www.mclarensnurseries.co.uk) and Cocker Roses (www.roses.uk.com) near Aberdeen, both offer woody, hardy specimens.

When planting consider your garden’s microclimate; how cold air moves and collects in your garden. Being heavier than warm, cold air will flow downhill until it reaches the lowest point. Any barrier will slow or stop its progress, creating further frost pockets. South-facing walls store and radiate the sun’s heat making them favourable places to grow more tender climbers.

It is the combination of cold and wet that really kills. Planting in spring rather than autumn means plants on the edge of their comfort zone are better established to cope with cold, wet winters. Wind exacerbates temperature loss so planting windbreaks can be a good way forward too.

Root growth starts at 6C but don’t consider planting for non-woody, herbaceous plants until well into April this year. It is wise not to replace like with like just in case your recently departed plant was weakened by disease.

Published in ‘at Home’ a supplement of the Scotland on Sunday on 28 February 2010