A bit of TLC in this cold weather!

Posted: 19 Dec 2010

Having just had our second and if anything even heavier covering of snow, I have been out today trying to help the plants in the garden.

The ones I regard as being more tender such as Brahea armata and Trithrinax acanthocoma had their leaves tied up and then the plant was wrapped in fleece a few weeks ago, thankfully just before the first hard cold and snow arrived.

Bigger plants that I look at as being more hardy though don't get a wrapping so when they get covered in snow I like to try and knock off as much as I can from their fronds. I just think the weight of the snow pressing and bending the leaves isn't good for them, especially my Butia which had its leaves bending over badly! Naturally I got covered in snow as I did so and why is it it always manages to go down your back? But I feel happier for doing that. More snow forecast too so will need to repeat the exercise again I suspect.

Other, smaller plants are buried under a covering of snow and I will leave that as some insulation against the nights when temperatures are plummeting.

If you have moved tender plants under heated cover or have made shelters with some heating cables of lights in them do remember to check them. I know at least one member has reported just catching one of the shelters in time as it had caught fire, plus of course you need to make sure the heat source is actually working and doing its job too.

The forecast here is for more cold and snow this week... lets hope it moves before too long and we get some milder weather back!

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