With Siberian weather drifting silently toward the British Isles here are some practical tips for the upcoming weeks weather.
Protect vulnerable plants from the cold
By this point in winter, plants that are not cut out for an average British winter will have already died. There are however a few common garden plants that might struggle should temperatures drop below -5. Plants may suffer with foliage damage or they might be killed off. Sadly, its often our specimen plants, like Cordyline australis (cabbage palm), Dicksonia antartica (tree fern) some (not all) salvias and lavenders that fall into this category
If you haven't got a greenhouse to move your plants into, then you can protect your plants by wrapping them up in a layer of horticultural fleece, or by draping fleece over border plants, and securing with weights.
If it snows heavily
Large leafed plants, such as Fatsia’s and Mahonia’s can get quite damaged from the weight of accumulated snow on their leaves. Give the branches a gentle shake to remove any thick layers of snow.
Feed and water the birds
It’s a particularly tough time for the birds when it snows in February, as there is a paucity of available food around for them. Don’t forget to feed them. They will repay you generously by eating lots of garden pests when spring and summer arrive. Also, try and make sure there is fresh, unfrozen water available for them to drink
Finally, bring in the fish, or any other glass garden art, that might not survive the cold.
