Snow forecast - should I cover perennials?

BlueBirder · February 2022

I am a new member to the forum and after some lovely replies about my unhappy tulips I thought I'd ask wiser minds about my perennials.

I have a lot of perennials in containers (an entirely container garden), and they've got new growth on them this Spring. We're forecast inches of snow followed by a lot of rain - should I cover this new growth or will it be OK in this weather? All my plants are at least H4 according to the RHS, most H5 or higher.

Thanks in advance!

Fire · February 2022

Hi Miriam, where abouts are you?

Fairygirl · February 2022

Unless you're at considerable altitude, and/or a lot further north than I am, or in a very exposed part of the borders or similar [which would mean getting around 6 inches to a foot of snow] then no, it's not necessary. Even then, it's really not worth bothering.
Perennials that get any damage will produce new stuff, and anything not tough enough to withstand a few inches of snow would have needed overwintering anyway, so it's a bit late

TheGreenMan · February 2022

I'd say no. My last place was container only. North East UK. I lost one thing in the Beast from the East and one last year when we had a week's worth of frozen snow.

Other than that everything else shrugged it off.

The two things I lost should've been inside in winter anyway but I had no room for them/couldn't hide them from the cat.

BlueBirder · February 2022

Thanks everyone - I'm west of Glasgow, so actually not too cold but pretty wet. My general rule is that if something can't survive the winter here I won't try and grow it, but I was a bit worried given all the new growth and the snow forecast. I'll leave them to their own devices!

Fairygirl · February 2022

It won't be worse there than where I am @miriam.lord.97
Even 3 or 4 inches of snow makes no real difference to most plants, unless there are strong winds as well. That does more damage

It's really more of a problem with leafy evergreens. Branches can snap under excess weight, so it's beneficial to knock snow off if possible, but again - a few inches doesn't pose any real problem. I tend to do it on the phormiums and the Fatsia - that sort of thing. Everything else just has to get on with it.

TheGreenMan · February 2022

Yeah....a good shaking session is a good tip. Nothing worse than going out and seeing them all heavy with snow.

BlueBirder · February 2022

Thanks all! The snow has been and gone and aside from my Hypericum shrubs which were weighed down with the weight everything seems OK.

Fairygirl · February 2022

A couple of inches - not an amount to trouble anything

Slightly different further north of course, but even then, perennials aren't really growing, so unless they've had all the protective top growth back, and there's some exposed new growth, they really wouldn't be affected. Hardy perennials are exactly that. Hardy. They come back

The change to ice tonight would pose more of a problem, but again, hardy perennials cope pretty well. You also have to accept there will be casualties now and again.

BlueBirder · February 2022

@Fairygirl I do get pretty attached to my plants but am slowly learning to accept losses as part of gardening! It's a good exercise

I will see how they all fare and, given that I'm not really keen on wrapping all my plants in fleece over winter, if some don't make it then I probably shouldn't be growing them here!

Fairygirl · February 2022

Exactly. It's all very well wanting certain plants, but if they don't suit the climate, it's pointless, whether you're in a cold wet area, or a hot dry one.
You can mitigate the effects by having raised beds [as I do here] and improving soil in borders etc, but you can't alter what happens above

Snow forecast - should I cover perennials?

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