Horticultural expert Monty Don has urged all gardeners to invest in these items in order to help protect their plants from the cold weather on the way – and says everyone needs to invest
As the colder weather starts to creep in, gardening expert Monty Don has urged people to invest in one specific item to help save plants over the winter.
The renowned gardener has hailed the use of horticultural fleeces and cloches in order to protect plants from frost and freezing temperatures, to give people a better chance of saving their crops for next year.
He told everyone that “if you do not already posses them, invest in horticultural fleece and some cloches”. Taking to his blog, the expert said they are only useful if you “have and employ them before you need them.”
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Monty Don advised them to be used for rows of vegetables as they will keep them dry and warm, and then shares a tip to leave the ends open as he’s “happy to trade some heat for some ventilation” and said that “fleece is the best temporary protection against frost, either laid out over small plants or draped over shrubs and bushes.”
He also recommended for gardeners to bring tender plans under cover before they need protection too. He shared how he brings in banana plants, salvias, citrus, pomegranates, olives, pelargoniums, succulents, fuchsias, eucomis and hedychium to make sure they survive the colder weather.
However he recommended to not bring in dahlias and cannas just yet, as they can be “left in situ until the first signs of frost damage have affected them,” and added: “Then they can be cut back, dug up and bought indoors to check over before storing in old potting compost in a cool, dark place where they will stay alive but not grow over winter.”
Another plant that needs attention before the frost are climbing roses. The expert urged people to prune climbing roses for a stunning bloom next year and to prevent winter damage.
He explained that without regular pruning, climbing roses can become a messy tangle with few flowers. He reassured gardeners that while the task may seem daunting, it’s actually quite straightforward with his expert advice.
He said: “Prune climbing roses. Climbing roses flower on shoots grown the same spring so they can be pruned hard now.” Before embarking on the thorny task, he stressed the importance of wearing gloves and protective eyewear.
Gardeners should begin by removing any damaged or crossing branches, as well as getting rid of old wood, which Monty says can be “pruned right back” to ground level. According to Monty, the trick is to position the main stems horizontally and evenly, securing them to wires or trellis. Next, he instructs gardeners to trim this season’s flowering side shoots down to just a few leaves.
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