episode 154 | show notes & advice
episode description
In the early months of the year, gardeners are faced with particularly challenging weather conditions, requiring care and attention to keep your garden thriving through the frost and snow.
This episode of ‘grow, cook, eat, arrange’ centres around the things you can do to keep your garden glowing amid the battering winds and relentless rain - Josie Lewis joins Sarah to share her top tips.
In this episode, discover
- Why moderate snowfall can actually be useful for protecting against frost
- How to protect roses from wind-rock
- Essential pot care through periods of intense rainfall
- The benefit of not clearing the garden too much in autumn
links and references
Order Sarah’s new book - A Year Full of Pots
Order Sarah’s book - A Year Full of Flowers
Order Sarah’s book - A Year Full of Veg
Shop on the Sarah Raven Website
Get in touch: info@sarahraven.com
Episode 154 advice sheet
How to overcome the hard frost (1:30)
When winter weather inevitably brings frost, it’s handy to not clear the garden too much - the top growth on some plants can create almost a microclimate for themselves, insulating them against the coldest frosts.
Reacting to snowfall (7:00)
In the event of snow, there might be an inclination to clear as much of it off of your branches and flowers as possible. If the weight of the snow threatens to break branches then that can be a useful course of action, but snow can also act as an insulating layer. So if it’s not breaking or damaging anything, Josie’s suggestion is to leave it be.
Pot care during heavy rain (10:30)
At times of high rainfall it’s the pots which demand particular care. Pots not draining are in need of immediate attention, which you’ll be able to see if there’s standing water in the pot.
Also, if you’ve mulched your dahlias in the autumn then you’ll need to check that rain hasn’t washed your molehill away.
Protecting against blustery conditions (14:00)
Strong winds present challenges to many flowers, but chief among Josie’s concerns is the possibility of wind-rock in roses. Too much stem motion can make a pit for rain to pool up, rotting roses.
Taking the top third off and filling that hole with more compost are some of the most useful ways to help roses beat the wind condition.
