The Winter crispness in the air is quickly followed by cosy jumpers, hot drinks and… winter garden prep. Get ready for lifting and storing your tender plants to ensure you have another season of successful growing, stunning blooms and healthy plants to enjoy next year.
Some plants can survive staying in the ground with a thick application of mulch to protect them, others do require lifting and storing until the Spring. The method and practice best followed very much depends on the plant and your location. We have compiled a list of the most popular plants you can find in your garden which may require this extra attention:
Plants which should be lifted:
Cannas are lifted after the foliage has been blackened by frost:
- Cut back the stems 5cm (2in) from the base. These stems can be composted
- Use a fork to prise the plants out of the soil, taking care not to damage the roots or fleshy rhizomes
- Remove debris and loose soil
- Store them in trays of sand, coir or vermiculite, with the crown of the plant (where the stems join the roots) just showing
- Keep them just moist in a cold, frost-free greenhouse or conservatory
- Container-grown plants can be stored in their pots after cutting back
Dahlias and Begonias are also lifted once the foliage has been blackened by the first frost:
- Cut off the old flowering stems 5cm (2in) from the base and trim away any thin roots. These stems can be composted
- Use a fork to prise the plants out of the soil, taking care not to damage, cut or bruise the tubers, as this can lead to rots developing in storage
- Remove the soil from the tubers by hand. Position them upside down in a cool place for a few weeks to dry off
- Label cultivars and bury in trays or wooden boxes filled with dry sand, soil or compost, leaving only the old flower stalks exposed
- Place the trays in a cool but frost-free place, such as a garage attached to a house or a shed