Gardening in the snow

The UK has had some harsh winter weather over the last week, with severe frosts, snow and freezing temperatures. Anyone brave enough to attempt gardening in these conditions deserves a big pat on the back! Everyone else who feels daunted by the task, don’t panic, there are some things that you can do to help protect your plants from the cold.

Cold weather is damaging to plants because it causes the water in plant cells to freeze, resulting in the damaging of the cell wall. Snow can have its benefits as it acts as a form of insulation, protecting plants from the cold and frost. Unfortunately snow can also be potentially damaging for your garden as heavy snow can weigh down on tree branches, causing them to break.

What to do when it snows

It is important to remove excess snow from branches, trees and hedges to relieve the pressure snow can put in them.

Don’t leave snow on your greenhouses, cold frames or garden sheds as this can cause damage to their structure.

Make sure your conifers and hedges are supported. Use string to avoid branches being pulled out of shape. 

How to minimize damage to your garden

Move plant pots next to a house wall, to keep them warm.

Stay off the lawn, as walking on it while it is frosty will damage the grass.

Don’t mulch when the soil is wet or frozen.