The big dig out soon

[Panama Pete]

Can anyone really face the over wintering and dig out that is looming. Although a great summer it seems to of gone really fast, or did we only get a summer from late June.

The thought of straw, chicken wire and fleece is really making me cringe....I do think it will be a perfect winter though..... by that I mean cold again but who really knows.

What I have learned though, is keep the plants out as long as possible, and don't be afraid to water them in winter. I've lost as many plants via drought as I have through the cold, thinking its better to not water.

Its going to be a tricky time again this winter as every year there is more plants but we may be lucky and have warm mild weather for a few months yet fingers crossed.

[sanatic1234]

I really hope we do pete. And i was at my local garden centre earlier today pricing up how much compost and grit i will need for the potting up for winter. About £40 on compost and £10 on grit should do the job.

[fern Rob]

This year I will need another 60m of Horticultural fleece to go with the 120m I already use. I could do with no minus numbers through winter.

[flounder]

August 15th?
Whats the matter with you people?
I've just come off my teams football forum because some on there were making me miserable and the first thread I open on here is about getting ready for winter!!!!
I'm expecting at least another 8 weeks of enjoying the garden, I'll start talking fleece and straw then and not a moment sooner
I'm off to look at pictures of sunshine and pina coladas now with my cup which is half full

[Tom2006]

Don't forget it wasn't until 2009 that we had a return to winters proper. I remember winter after winter where we struggled to get an air frost. I didn't even have to worry about protecting plants.

That said, my polyhouse will be back out with my heater just in case. I've going to lift a few basjoos but everything else will be staying in the ground, then all I will have are my potted tree ferns to get through.

With all that said, I do understand your worry, because every now and then I remember how horrific last winter was in terms of its length of time. October to May up here, which is/was crazy! I would sooner have the deep lows for a short time like in 2010 rather than such a long cold grey winter.

[sanatic1234]

Flounder i do my winter pricing in the summer every year its called planning a head, and you get most products cheaper than what you would do in the winter. As not a lot of people are out buying the winter stuff and shops have not put up there prices.

[DAVIDEVANS]

Seems sensible to me to be making plans. I am planning on protecting my tall cordylines this year. Someone mentioned soil warming cable - anyone tried it?

[pdid]

Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

No



No no no no no




No

[otorongo]

We don't get frosts until late November at the earliest, so it's not my worry just yet

I'm off to look at pictures of sunshine

Because pictures is the closest to the real thing we can get?

[fern Rob]

October seems to mark the start of winter for me the temperatures drop and the garden looks empty.

[Yorkshire Kris]

It's the summer holidays not yet autumn anywhere, even Scotland.

I do agree though that stocking up is a good idea when prices are cheap.

[karl66]

I have not got the time to grow two much stuff that need's overwintering & digging up , a shelter here & there & a bit of on off covering is all I do!, hence me being able to walk around my garden all year round. karl.

[Yorkshire Kris]

It should be a long time before you have to think about doing this....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5N3N1Oza8Hw

[jezza]

Two basjoos to dig up, put a parasol over a cordyline and move potted stuff in the greenhouse or under the lean to. That's it and takes all of half an hour. That's not until the end of october/early november so until then i will stick the sprinkler on and sit back with a budweiser and big fat juicy burger!

[fern Rob]

I'm thinking of using roof insulation on the poly tunnel, and a parafin heater hopefully that will be alright for the tree ferns. Also fleece around the Cyatheas crowns.