Winter flowering pots and hanging baskets

Are your winter flowering containers and hanging baskets looking a bit weary after the harsh weather of the winter months?  It’s easy to forget about them as you are rushing in and out on cold dark mornings and evenings.  Winter flowering shrubs and bedding do require some care throughout the winter months to keep them flowering profusely. 

My advice is to remove all dead leaves and branches from trees that have fallen in recent storms.  Dead head flowers that have finished flowering to encourage new flowers and check the compost to make sure it is moist.  Sometimes we have our containers positioned too close to a wall or a house and this prevents any rain water penetrating the compost. If the compost is dry water it as plants do require a little in the wintertime.  When watering avoid contact with the leaves and flowers if possible,  water around the base of the plants as sometimes the water can sit on the leaves and petals of the flowers causing them to rot and infection can set in.

 In early spring when the first signs of new growth start, liquid feed your flowering containers and baskets with a good quality organic fertiliser to give them a boost and encourage further flowering throughout the spring months.

Colder weather and snow is forecast for this week so protect any delicate sensitive plants by wrapping with a fleece around the flowers and foliage to prevent frost damage.