[fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”yes” overflow=”visible”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”][fusion_dropcap]Q[/fusion_dropcap]How can I stop a squirrel from digging in my pots and disturbing the bulbs?
Mavis
[/fusion_builder_column][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”][fusion_dropcap]A[/fusion_dropcap]I know how you feel! The cheeky blighters. My top tip is to grate a little smelly soap into the hole as you plant the bulbs, and then sprinkle a bit on the surface too.
The smellier the soap, the better! You can even use the free packets you get in hotels. That will deter the squirrel.
If you have a serious problem with them, you can also bury a little chicken wire just under the surface of the soil. It will block out the squirrels and the bulb will grow through it.
Winter-flowering pansies are ideal for containers and winter hanging baskets, but they aren’t the only option.
Try hellebore (pictured) – a fantastic plant that flowers in deep winter. It comes in a range of colours, including white, green and reddish petals.
I would also recommend polyanthus, which is a good bedding plant. Cyclamen is another good choice.
You can also try winter-flowering heather, which blooms for months on end and is really bright. It comes in pink, purple and white. It’s also a really hardy plant, so it will thrive in containers even in the cold winter weather.
Why not try adding spring bulbs to keep your hanging baskets going in late winter and early spring too? Snowdrops and daffodils are always popular.
Top tips
An important thing to remember when planting hanging baskets for winter is that they should be full from the very start. This is because they probably won’t grow much before spring.
Therefore, it’s great to choose evergreen and perennial plants that will live on way past spring, and provide structure through the colder months.
Winter is the time of year that gardeners should be curled up in a warm place, wrapped in a blanket. But the same is true of tender plants.
Most garden plants are hardy enough to survive the winter, but some varieties are more vulnerable and need our help. Frost can damage and even kill tender plants, while excess water causes rot and cold winter winds can harm the foliage.
Here’s how to protect your plants and ensure your garden springs back to life next year!
Bring tender plants inside
Plants in containers can be moved inside during winter to protect them. Young plants are especially vulnerable, so move them into a cool porch, greenhouse or conservatory. Fuchsias, pelargoniums and lemon verbena are common tender plants.
Protect pots
If you can’t move pots inside, lift them up on pot feet to stop waterlogging. If you don’t want to buy pot feet, lift the pot up on wine corks.
Container plants are vulnerable because their roots aren’t protected underground. Even hardy plants like lavender may suffer root damage, so wrap pots in hessian or horticultural fleece and move them to a sheltered spot.
Protect exotics with fleece
Exotics are the most vulnerable group – they struggle in our cold climate. Tropical plants like tree ferns and palm trees are all at risk, as well as cordylines and banana plants.
Exotics in containers can be moved inside, but established plants will need protection in situ. Wrap shrubs in a fleece jacket packed with straw to protect them. Tree ferns need layers of straw packed over the vulnerable crown, plus fleece or hessian wrapped around the trunk.
Tie the leafy canopy of cordylines together to prevent wind damage and stop water collecting at the base and causing rot. You can also apply a thick mulch of leaves or peat-free compost to protect the roots of exotics.
Some shrubs and trees can also be damaged by frost. Protect fig trees by packing straw along the branches and around the roots. And keep callistemon and pittosporum safe from the cold by wrapping them in fleece jackets.
Mulch plants with tubers
Plants that grow from shallow rhizomes or tubers are at risk of waterlogging and frost damage. Apply a deep mound of bark chip mulch around the base of cannas and dahlias. If your garden is prone to very cold temperatures, it may be safer to lift and store tubers over winter.
Protection when it snows
Snow is a danger to plants over winter not because it’s cold, but because it’s heavy! A layer of snow can easily snap branches off trees and shrubs. Knock any snowfall off with a broom to stop branches splaying and splitting.
