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What to do with young plants in winter

rcb8385458rcb8385458 Posts: 3
in Problem solving
Hi all,
I am beginning my gardening journey and started growing my own plants from seed and its helped me recover physically and mentally from an incident and I'm really enjoying it 🙂. 
The summer wasn't great however I've manged to grow lupins,foxgloves,ecanascias and delphiniums they are still small young plants around 4_5 inches tall. I have a few plastic styled greenhouses and was wondering whether I should keep them in their over the winter or put them outside ? I know they are relatively hardy but don't want them to die over winter!. Any advice I would appreciate 
Many thanks 😊 
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Posts

  • punkdocpunkdoc Posts: 15,039
    They might be safer in a g/h as they are so small.
    How can you lie there and think of England
    When you don't even know who's in the team

    S.Yorkshire/Derbyshire border
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    The foxgloves will be fine, but the others would be better with a bit of basic protection until next year. Even hardy plants can struggle if left out over winter when small.  
    The plastic greenhouses aren't great, but offer enough protection from rough and very wet weather. They don't provide any warmth though. Make sure it's well secured - they have a habit of disappearing in windy weather too  :)
    The roots need to be filling a decent size of pot too, for planting out, to ensure they can thrive. At least a four to five inch one.  I don't  grow echinaceas, but lupins and delphiniums are very vulnerable to slugs when they start back into growth in spring. They can decimate plants overnight. 
    In milder, drier areas, it's easier, so it will also depend on where you are.  :)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • rcb8385458rcb8385458 Posts: 3
    Thanks for your helpful comments. I'm in North Yorkshire so can get cold. I don't have enough room for a proper greenhouse unfortunately so the plastic ones will have to do for now. I will make sure they are secured well 🙂
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    It's wet cold that's particularly difficult for small plants. Easy for them to get waterlogged and rot off when they've got small root systems. Your plastic greenhouse will keep the worst of that off them without over cossetting them either, which is also important. I always tied mine onto the fence or house wall to stop them disappearing  ;)

    A cold frame is also ideal, and that might suit you better if you want to grow plants from seed or cuttings, as the plastic ones tend to tear, or fall apart quite easily. If you can put one together yourself out of some timber or brick,  with an old window, or a bit of polycarbonate or similar, for the top, it's even better. Perfect for small plants   :)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • jmahayjmahay Posts: 39
    Hi I tend to find the plastic greenhouses are not much good especially winter but as suggested making cold frame would be better and offer more protection  also you could put something around the top to protect the roots even newspaper  or bubble wrap or
    1. Add mulch. Many tender plants will benefit from mulch over their roots for added protection in winter. ...
    2. Cover them up.
  • JennyJJennyJ Posts: 10,576
    The lupins, delphiniums and echinaceas are all herbaceous perennials, and their normal behaviour is for the top growth to die back in winter and re-grow from the roots in spring, so don't panic if the leaves die off. Foxgloves (the biennial ones anyway) usually retain a rosette of basal leaves for the winter.
    Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
  • rcb8385458rcb8385458 Posts: 3
    Thanks all for your help and comments it's appreciated and helpful 🙂
  • FireFire Posts: 19,096
    Plastic or unheated greenhouses or cold frames are useful to help off wind and battering strong rain or hail, which maybe useful for you.
  • clematisdorsetclematisdorset Posts: 1,348
    I am going to put some of my potted plants into an additional outer, bigger pot (plastic) for added insulation and then will put clear bags over the pots, suspended via bamboo canes and tied with twine or string. Then I will put the plants in the most sheltered area away from the prevailing wind, but if it gets stormy, the bags and canes will probably blow away. Not ideal but better than nothing. 
    Sorry to witness the demise of the forum. 😥😥😥😡😡😡I am Spartacus 
  • FireFire Posts: 19,096

    clematisdorset said:
    I am going to put some of my potted plants into an additional outer, bigger pot (plastic) for added insulation

    I don't think plastic adds any extra insulation.
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