Perennials In Winter
MrsFoxglove
SurreyPosts: 180
Evening all
I'd just like a bit if advice about what to do with the perennials I have once they've died down for the season?
Do I cut them right down or leave them as they are to offer them more protection over winter?
I'd like to transfere them to plastic pots so i can plant bulbs in the pots they're currently all in, should I then put these pots (the plastic perennial filled ones) into my mini greenhouse (pathetic little zip up thing but it's all i've got space for 
)?
Really silly question but do I continue to water/feed them over winter?
Thanks kindly
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Which perennials have you got? Some look good standing in winter with frost on them. Some are hardier than others
If they are hardy perennials there should be no need to put them under cover, just put the pots in a sheltered place, no need to cut them down and no need to feed or water in winter as they will be dormant. Mine are in flower beds, if they look a mess I cut them down but if they don't and if they have seed heads I leave them for the birds to eat and small mammals to shelter in. But some perennials, such as penstemon don't like to be cut down before spring as they need the protection.
Here's what I have nutcutlet...
...along with a few heathers (that I'm not too fussed about). I don't think any of these are "hardy" are they?
Thanks for that Busy-Lizzy
I'm just itching to prep my pots all ready for winter/spring
The Armeria and the Scabious are both hardy - unless that's some new fangled variety of Armeria!
Just cut off any dead flowering stems, and let them die back naturally. They don't need any special attention. The thrifts (Armeria) are evergreen, so you'll have a little clump of foliage over winter.
I don't grow the other two , but I thought nemesias were only half hardy, or even just annuals.
Fairygirl yiud kniw more tgan me so i'll take what you say as fact
Theyll be ok to teansdere into otger pots wont they? Too bad if not though really- they're being evicted
Thanks muchly.
So many typos above... sorry
The Nemesia should be hardy however, they are very short lived and you will need to divide them up. These plants are fragile and normally do not do well in the soil outside, not because of the cold but normally due to the wet winters here, so it might be best to pot them up and place them against a south facing wall.
The Lavender is the Stoechas type which is French Lavender. Depending on where you are, it's frost tender which allows for short periods into -5c but really needs a warm south wall or inside a greenhouse.
Angelonia is usually grown as an annual plant, but if you want to allow it to survive it really needs a greenhouse as it's quite tender.
I would put the nemesia and the lavender in the bottom of your mini greenhouse. Or worst case, stand them under a table or against a south or west facing wall (in which case stand the pots on a couple of bricks so water will run out freely, They both will survive if we don't get a really cold winter but won't want to be standing around wet. If you do put them in the gh probably water them once a month but not if it's very cold (ice forming in the soil won't be good). Don't feed them. Begin to water weekly when the weather starts to warm up in spring and move them out when you begin to see signs of new growth but be prepared to pop them back under cover if a hard frost is forecast.
Feed them when you see flower buds begin to form but don't overdo with it the lavender - they are better grown a bit lean.
Scabious and armeria just leave them, they should be fine. If a really hard frost is forecast you may need to wrap the pots in bubble wrap or fleece to stop the roots freezing solid. Don't feed or water until spring. Personally I don't cut any plants back until spring as a rule as the top growth protects the crown of the plants and gives the wildlife somewhere to shelter but that's more a matter of choice than certainty.
I don't know angelonia, sorry
Thank you so much Borderline & raisingirl
I will follow your advice & protect them in tbe mini greenhouse and i wont cut them back either.
Thought you'd been on the Prosecco, MrsF
I managed to miss that you had Lavender - sorry
Should have gone to Specsavers....
I'd agree with raisingirl and B'line - bit of protection for that while it's young, but I have a neighbour who has a Stoechas variety in their front garden which defies the usual peception of it's requirements. It's in unsuitable ground, north west facing, in shade for most of the day, copes with all the soggy, cold winter weather and flowers happily each year. Perhaps they're a bit tougher than we tend to think