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Beginner's help needed for the Autumn/Winter

bapw163bapw163 Posts: 40
in Plants

Hello, this forum has helped me enormously over the summer to spark my interest in keeping my small patio. I now have established plants that are a great pleasure.

As winter approaches I want to make sure I'm doing the right thing for my Red Robin, Ghislaine di Feligonde rose, Jasmine, herbs and lavender. They all look healthy now but what should I be doing to prepare them for the winter so that they come back even more abundant next spring. 

Specifically...

I cut back my Ceanothus so much last year it didn't flower at all this year. What do I do to help it flower next spring?

My rose had lots of flowers and climbed well but could I get the flowers more robust next year as they seemed very delicate and never lasted long although I had lots.

My herbs grew well, especially Oregano and Tarragon. How can I ensure the Rosemary really gets abundant next year? Should I keep the herbs inside? Do they need paring back? 

The Jasmin looks very healthy. How can I encourage more flowers next year?

Does the Red Robin just need a bit of a haircut?

Should I simply cut the legs off the Lavender and leave as is? It grew well but I'd love a bit more of the actual purple bits next year.

As always, any help is gratefully received. Pics of each plant attached.

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Posts

  • PerkiPerki Posts: 2,527
    Don't prune the ceanothus sounds like you've got a late spring flowering variety so prune after flowering if you want to restrict its size.

    Rose looks like it may need tying down onto its supports horizontally have any more pic of the rose ? 

    You can give the Red robin a hair cut if you wish 

    Trim lavender don't cut into any woody stems unless they are damaged, you can cut into the green growth to try and get a tighter ball .

    What sort of jasmine have you got ? Trachelospermum variety ?

    I am not into herbs so someone else will give better advise .
  • AnniDAnniD Posts: 12,585
    A lot depends on whereabouts you are in the country, but it does look fairly sheltered, so with luck your plants in pots should survive. 
    I would move them as close to the house wall as you can and make sure they're up on pot feet or bricks to help with drainage. 
    As above, trim the flowering shoots from the lavender but leave it at that.

    Oregano is classed as hardy so should be fine, but l think the Tarragon depends on the type. I think that French is tender and Russian hardy.
    The Rosemary is fairly tough, and should be fine up close to the wall. The more you use in cooking over Winter, the better.
  • GardenerSuzeGardenerSuze Posts: 5,692
    Yes I agree with all the sound advice given. I would do all of the above. 
    I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
  • FireFire Posts: 19,096
    Yes, good to tie in climbers so they don’t fly about loose and break. Give your rose some good load of manure in the spring and rose food when flowers start. Well done for having a successful growing year! 
  • bapw163bapw163 Posts: 40
    Perki said:
    Don't prune the ceanothus sounds like you've got a late spring flowering variety so prune after flowering if you want to restrict its size.

    Rose looks like it may need tying down onto its supports horizontally have any more pic of the rose ? 

    You can give the Red robin a hair cut if you wish 

    Trim lavender don't cut into any woody stems unless they are damaged, you can cut into the green growth to try and get a tighter ball .

    What sort of jasmine have you got ? Trachelospermum variety ?

    I am not into herbs so someone else will give better advise .
    Thanks so much for your reply,
    here's some more pictures of the rose. I got it when it was just a sap or whatever you call it and in a year and a half it's gone OK. It is growing up horizontal wires I put in up the wall and above the door. The idea is to have it climbing up the wall and then over the door. It grows to about 10ft apparently so it will hopefully keep going. I use a rose feed every few months and also a spray because I was told it had a bit of fungus. The leaves have gone yellow recently but I'm presuming that's the weather. I'm wondering if I need to prune it or do anything else to encourage more growth and just generally to protect it through the winter because last winter I did nothing and it entered the spring a bit poorly.
    I believe the Jasmin is a Trachelospermum. Again I grew that from quite small and put wires up so it could trail along the fence which it is doing nicely. I wish it had more flowers. I got a few but I want millions! I gets sun early then sits in the shade from midday. Wonder whether that's a thing. Again, do I prune or anything?
    Thanks for the advice on the Ceanothus. Yes, I learned the hard way on that one. Hopefully next spring it will come back beautiful and blue.
    I won't cut into the woody stems of the Lavender. I've heard from others that's not the ticket. It's still giving off a good scent. Should I wait till that goes?
    Thanks again for taking the trouble.
  • bapw163bapw163 Posts: 40
    AnniD said:
    A lot depends on whereabouts you are in the country, but it does look fairly sheltered, so with luck your plants in pots should survive. 
    I would move them as close to the house wall as you can and make sure they're up on pot feet or bricks to help with drainage. 
    As above, trim the flowering shoots from the lavender but leave it at that.

    Oregano is classed as hardy so should be fine, but l think the Tarragon depends on the type. I think that French is tender and Russian hardy.
    The Rosemary is fairly tough, and should be fine up close to the wall. The more you use in cooking over Winter, the better.
    Thank you for your reply, yes I live in London in a terraced house with shelter on all four sides of the patio. The roof terrace is a different matter but down here all is pretty protected.
    Do you mean I should keep using the herbs through the winter? On that question, when I cut herbs I often wonder whether I should be cutting the tips or down at the bottom of the branch. Which way encourages renewed growth? Thanks again for the reply.
  • AnniDAnniD Posts: 12,585
    Personally, with Rosemary and Tarragon l take the tips each time (say around 2 to 3 inches), depending on how much l need. 
    You might find this helpful. 
    https://www.daviddomoney.com/how-to-grow-a-herbs-in-winter-and-dry-or-freeze-herbs/

    Ironically he says not to over harvest rosemary, but l find that it still tends to grow here and l think it will in your situation as well, unless we get another "Beast from the East" situation. 
    I think you would be really going some to over harvest it.  l use rosemary twice a week at the absolute most, on average it's more likely to be once every 2 weeks.

    If you've got herbs growing, even if slowing down at this time of year, l would definitely keep using them. You may find in the depths of Winter there's not much to pick, but l suspect that your protected location will definitely help  :)
  • NollieNollie Posts: 7,529
    I wouldn’t prune your rose at all yet! Certainly never prune down the long stems (main canes) as you need to allow them to grow up and over. If you chop the ends off you will stop that happening. GdeF is a multiflora rambler with some ability to repeat, so all you need focus on is letting it do it’s thing and training the growth into a framework of main canes from which the flowering side shoots (laterals) grow.

    In future years, prune right down to the ground any older, congested or definitely dead or diseased canes and after it’s first main flowering show, you can shorten the flowering side shoots by around half to two-thirds to tidy it up, leaving some of the length to re-bloom.

    GdeF blooms are typically many but not very long lasting, that is just the nature of the beast, but in the first year or so they are sometimes more fleeting still because it’s putting most of it’s energy into growing roots and those long climbing canes.

    It is a vigorous rose but being in a pot will restrict it’s growth somewhat and it’s ultimate lifespan.
    Mountainous Northern Catalunya, Spain. Hot summers, cold winters.
  • bapw163bapw163 Posts: 40
    Nollie said:
    I wouldn’t prune your rose at all yet! Certainly never prune down the long stems (main canes) as you need to allow them to grow up and over. If you chop the ends off you will stop that happening. GdeF is a multiflora rambler with some ability to repeat, so all you need focus on is letting it do it’s thing and training the growth into a framework of main canes from which the flowering side shoots (laterals) grow.

    In future years, prune right down to the ground any older, congested or definitely dead or diseased canes and after it’s first main flowering show, you can shorten the flowering side shoots by around half to two-thirds to tidy it up, leaving some of the length to re-bloom.

    GdeF blooms are typically many but not very long lasting, that is just the nature of the beast, but in the first year or so they are sometimes more fleeting still because it’s putting most of it’s energy into growing roots and those long climbing canes.

    It is a vigorous rose but being in a pot will restrict it’s growth somewhat and it’s ultimate lifespan.
    Thank you for this mine of info, 
    Gosh I thought these plants lasted forever! How long should I expect the Ghislaine to last? 
  • GardenerSuzeGardenerSuze Posts: 5,692
    @bapw163 I am not a rose expert but most roses are fairly long lived. All plants need splitting, cuttings taken replacing overtime. Unlike a beautifully furnished room it doesn't just stop. Now and into the winter months is the time to make some new plans for next season. Exciting!
    I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
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