On 14/10/2013 19:40, David.WE.Roberts wrote:
On Mon, 14 Oct 2013 19:23:57 +0100, Spider wrote:

On 14/10/2013 17:35, David.WE.Roberts wrote:
This year I have grown tomatoes and cucumbers in plastic bags - wide
and shallow - and they have done O.K.

I am now left with these containers for the winter.

I can just leave them, empty them (leaving a blot on the back garden
where they sat), or find a nice winter flowering bedding plant to cheer
them up until spring.

Not having that much success, though.

Do pansies and primroses flower through the winter?

Is there anything else obvious and 'off the shelf' which would do?

Cheers

Dave R




I am concerned that this mere 'plastic bag' is not going to offer frost
protection for your plants. If you could put the compost in a tub or
trough raised off the ground, then I think you have a chance.

I would start with a smallish Skimmia (often sold for just this
purpose), as it offers modest evergreen structure. I would underplant
with as many hyacinths as you can cram in (for later Spring interest),
then cover the remaining bare earth with either polyanthus,bellis or
pansies (which ever is best at the time). Whilst planting these, I
would also tuck in as many early-flowering crocuses as possible.

The good thing about the bulbs as that they carry their own food store,
so will cope with the impoverished compost. Most, if not all, of these
plants can go in the garden later, so there will be very little wastage.

Thanks - however (although I didn't make it clear) the 'paddling pools' of
compost ARE the garden - nowhere to plant out afterwards.

This is a short term exercise for November to February/March just to
pretty up three areas of compost instead of leaving them bare or removing
them to leave bare earth underneath.

So bulbs are probably out.

This is why I was looking at winter bedding as something which could be
discarded before Easter.

Frost, torrential rain, long term snow - all these are likely.

I guess you could regard these as temporary raised beds with regards to
frost.

Cheers

Dave R



Oh dear. Well, that really does only leave bedding. I do understand
that you want something pretty to look at, but even the most floriferous
winter bedding will only flower during peaks of better weather. The
sort of weather you predict will inhibit, batter and drown, then bury
your flowers :~(.

If you can foresee some dryer, sunnier breaks in this forbidding gloom
and tempest, then by all means plant some polyanthus and walk around
whistling with your fingers crossed. I suspect you will see some
flowers, but I doubt it will be a heart-warming display.

A better idea would be to use your garden to feed the birds. I find it
hard to peel myself away from the window once I've put food out. It can
make a most cheering site. It isn't cheap (cheep!), but both you and
the birds will enjoy it.
--
Spider.
On high ground in SE London
gardening on heavy clay