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Cuttings in cold frames

pageparkpagepark Posts: 27
in Plants
Understanding there are all sorts of variables... will rooted salvia and penstemon and osteospermum cuttings overwinter in an unheated cold frame? (Bristol )
. 
And would cuttings of geraniums taken now have a chance of making it in a cold frame? 

Does bubble wrap or horticultural fleece help in very cold snaps? 

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Posts

  • AnniDAnniD Posts: 12,585
    edited November 2021
    They should be okay, but l would definitely invest in some fleece if you can. Bubble wrap might increase the moisture levels and lead to rotting. 
    I use one layer of fleece but if it gets to "Beast from the East" levels l add 2.
    You could also line the frame with sheets of polystyrene if you have any.
    Can't answer about the geranium cuttings l'm afraid. 
  • CrazybeeladyCrazybeelady Posts: 778
    I had a geranium (pelargonium) cutting in a cold frame last year that survived. I dont know if you've ever used Hello Fresh but they put this stuff in that's a bit like a sheet of insulation in the box. It's great! I put on the concrete floor and the side walls of the cold frame and that was good enough to keep everything in it alive. 
  • BiljeBilje Posts: 811
    if you’re taking pelargonium cuttings now they need to be in a very free draining compost and I’d keep them on a house window sill. I’ve some which I rooted earlier and they overwinter on a shelf against the garage window, probably 95% efffective for me. I do overwinter larger plants, cut back by a third in a cold frame but I do incur more casualties with them. Good luck

  • pageparkpagepark Posts: 27
    That is helpful. Thanks. Do you put the fleece outside or inside the cold frame? 
  • BiljeBilje Posts: 811
    Morning pagepark, I’d drape the fleece over the plants when low temperatures were forecast then remove into let them have light and air.
  • AnniDAnniD Posts: 12,585
    I agree, put the fleece inside the coldframe over the plants.
     It's tempting to leave them tucked up like that, but as @Bilje says as soon as the temperatures start to rise during the day (assuming they do) make sure to lift the lid slightly to let air in and remove the fleece  :)
    If it stays around freezing you can leave it on for a few days but get air and light back in soon as possible. 
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    The important thing to remember with any kind of protection, is to put it on early enough. Putting it on after the plants are already cold, just traps the cold. 
    This year's cuttings will be very vulnerable to temperature fluctuations, and wet cold is the worst, so keep them off the ground. @AnniD's suggestion of using something like polystyrene or similar will help enormously. 

    I wouldn't leave pelargoniums in a cold frame as it would be unlikely to give enough frost protection unless you live somewhere milder to start with. I assume you mean those and not hardy geraniums?
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • Nanny BeachNanny Beach Posts: 8,719
    Yes,if you're talking pelargoniums,keep them in the kitchen window or whatever
     Fleece is easier for draping than bubble wrap.
  • didywdidyw Posts: 3,573
    I have a few penstemon, salvia, scented leaf pelargonium and argyranthemum cuttings in my mini greenhouse (referred to as blow-aways on here).  I have a bundle of fleece at the bottom and once the temperature really drops I'll zip it up.  This is what I did last year and it worked well.  I think I've blown it for taking the other pelargonium cuttings this year - was about to do it but got whisked away somewhere and never returned to it.
    Gardening in East Suffolk on dry sandy soil.
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    It's wet cold that's the problem for the plants the OP has. I don't know how wet and cold it gets in Bristol. The growing medium is very important to help avoid soil staying wet long term. As @AnniD says - plastic protection is often a problem, so fabric is far better. 

    Those would all struggle here in a cold frame unless it had adequate insulation and ventilation. Even in the little greenhouse I have, it's impossible to keep moisture out, so anything a bit dodgy is difficult to overwinter successfully. 
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
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