Snow in the Garden Is it Good Or Bad Somewhere in Between?...Should we Panic

[Daren]

there is so Much Negativity with this White Stuff ..........look at it this way its a great mulch for the garden & You wont have to weed for a while ​

It does have some Benefits If you think about it............Think about those Dry parts of the garden, that water normally never penetrates. With snow its going to absorb water Much better as it melts slowly while Providing a slow release of added Nutrients too. On the subject of protecting plants and gardens from potential winter issues like.......... Cold​

& protecting plants and gardens from potential winter issues............well Sometimes no matter what we do, a plant doesn't make it & if you haven't Protected it by now Its Dead!!!!! ..........Sorry not a good answer ........Ok I'll try again Fleecing Is a good option When ever a plant is planted or to big to move. Little plants can be protected with as little as an upturned pot On cold nights or Prolonged Cold spells answers. Ive Seen lots of tricks One I remember is the Uses of straw rapped around Standard fuchsias The Council Where I lived did it when I was a Kid they left them wrapped till the last frost was pasted then unwrapped & the fuchsias Came back to life every year ............At least till the Cutbacks to Council Funding & Manpower in the parks. Getting away from Fuchsias My Red banana was dug up before the last frost Stuck upside Down to Drain then Popped the right way after a week Rapped in a Duvet.......It worked last year so Fingers Crossed

How do you protect your Less hardy plants I'd say its a pretty important subject ?....................

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[JBtheExplorer]

How do you protect your Less hardy plants​

I don't plant them. If they struggle to survive, they aren't worth having.

Hardy native species for the win!

 

[Esther Knapicius]

Exactly @JBtheExplorer I plant only those for my zone and hardy native to my area. I do not have time to stress if something will make it or not, so they don't come in my garden. Planning a garden is not best from the heart but from the brain to think about what will work, and plan those items. I live in an area where we can get 28 inches of snow, and heights up to my thigh, plants, shrubs do survive, and I give no thought to worry about them. In fact its those long cold deep snow winters that seem to make the plants so very happy for the spring, summer showings. It also costs money not picking right, might as well flush it down the drain. As I did a quick walk around this morning I can see my thousands of snow drops clustered in many places. and some way ward ones that decided to hop to other area, LOL. I will get you my pretty, and put you somewhere I want you for next year.

 

[alp]

I will plant whatever I like, even though I might not have the conditions for them. I can tick it off and forget about it. It's a journey to the holy grail. Those which have withstood the weather will stay with me. That's why I will always have cistus, irises, alstroemerias, gaura, hellebores...

The white stuff should be very good for the fruit trees as the excess water will do them some good. I remember when it snowed like this (well, not so seriously!) years ago, my fruit trees were laden with goodies.

But it's the prolonged cold that I don't like. We had had snow, but not accompanied by such terrible cold and biting winds. Yesterday, I thought the skin of my face was going to fall off after walking in the TOWN centre for 5 minutes, such was the severity of the biting wind chill.

Another horrible thing is that it shortens my growing season. Normally around this time, I can sow a lot of seeds and I do think my growing season ends quicker here in Essex. I might be wrong on that count. I remember people's amazement at the sizes of my squashes and marrows - all because my garden benefited a lot from an earlier growing season.