GardenBanter.co.uk

GardenBanter.co.uk (https://www.gardenbanter.co.uk/)
-   United Kingdom (https://www.gardenbanter.co.uk/united-kingdom/)
-   -   plants and pots totally wrapped in plastic (https://www.gardenbanter.co.uk/united-kingdom/45712-plants-pots-totally-wrapped-plastic.html)

john west++++ 19-10-2003 12:02 PM

plants and pots totally wrapped in plastic
 

hi, i would like to protect from the cold two potted plants at the rear of
the house. (south facing). my plan is to put large clear plastic bags
completely over the plants and
their pots.

I would like advice please on should I block up the six or so small holes
originally put in the bag by the manufacturer; to help keep the cold
out, or will that interfere with any necessary air flow to the plants?

also would it be best to stand the clay pots directly on to the concrete
patio slabs or
should I insulate the post from the slabs with a piece of wood, please?

thanking you for any advice.

yours john west



Seven 19-10-2003 12:02 PM

plants and pots totally wrapped in plastic
 

"john west++++" wrote in message
...

hi, i would like to protect from the cold two potted plants at the rear of
the house. (south facing). my plan is to put large clear plastic bags
completely over the plants and
their pots.

I would like advice please on should I block up the six or so small holes
originally put in the bag by the manufacturer; to help keep the cold
out, or will that interfere with any necessary air flow to the plants?

also would it be best to stand the clay pots directly on to the concrete
patio slabs or
should I insulate the post from the slabs with a piece of wood, please?

thanking you for any advice.

yours john west



I am not sure about the holes in the bags, but I think you should raise the
post from the ground slightly so to prevent the ground frost from getting to
the roots.



Sacha 19-10-2003 12:32 PM

plants and pots totally wrapped in plastic
 
in article , Seven at
wrote on 19/10/03 10:56 am:


"john west++++" wrote in message
...

snip

also would it be best to stand the clay pots directly on to the concrete
patio slabs or
should I insulate the post from the slabs with a piece of wood, please?

thanking you for any advice.

yours john west



I am not sure about the holes in the bags, but I think you should raise the
post from the ground slightly so to prevent the ground frost from getting to
the roots.


And at least as importantly, to allow free drainage. More plants are killed
by having permanently wet, cold roots, than just about anything else,
including (lightish) frosts.
--

Sacha
(remove the 'x' to email me)



Tumbleweed 19-10-2003 09:02 PM

plants and pots totally wrapped in plastic
 
"john west++++" wrote in message
...

hi, i would like to protect from the cold two potted plants at the rear of
the house. (south facing). my plan is to put large clear plastic bags
completely over the plants and
their pots.

I would like advice please on should I block up the six or so small holes
originally put in the bag by the manufacturer; to help keep the cold
out, or will that interfere with any necessary air flow to the plants?

also would it be best to stand the clay pots directly on to the concrete
patio slabs or
should I insulate the post from the slabs with a piece of wood, please?

thanking you for any advice.

yours john west


I think this will likely kill them due to condensation and then mould. Clear
plastic bags will also make no difference to keeping them warm when its
coldest, which will generally be at night, except maybe by keeping the wind
off. It will cerainly heat them up nicely on a sunny day, thereby
encouraging them to break dormancy so the new growth can be killed off by a
cold night or two. I suggest you trya better plan, such as bringing them
inside into an unheated room, or maybe a garage. What are the plants?

--
Tumbleweed

Remove theobvious before replying (but no email reply necessary to
newsgroups)





Jaques d'Altrades 19-10-2003 09:12 PM

plants and pots totally wrapped in plastic
 
The message
from "john west++++" contains these words:

hi, i would like to protect from the cold two potted plants at the rear of
the house. (south facing). my plan is to put large clear plastic bags
completely over the plants and
their pots.


I would like advice please on should I block up the six or so small holes
originally put in the bag by the manufacturer; to help keep the cold
out, or will that interfere with any necessary air flow to the plants?


also would it be best to stand the clay pots directly on to the concrete
patio slabs or
should I insulate the post from the slabs with a piece of wood, please?


If you're going to wrap them, I'd make tubes up out of two or three
layers of wound-round small bubblewrap and tie up the tops, and stand
the pots on thick expanded polystyerine.

You can usually get both (waste packaging) from white goods and telly shops.

--
Rusty Hinge
horrid·squeak&zetnet·co·uk
http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/hi-fi/tqt.htm

The Hoopeses 20-10-2003 07:42 AM

plants and pots totally wrapped in plastic
 

"john west++++" wrote in message
...

hi, i would like to protect from the cold two potted plants at the rear of
the house. (south facing). my plan is to put large clear plastic bags
completely over the plants and
their pots.

I would like advice please on should I block up the six or so small holes
originally put in the bag by the manufacturer; to help keep the cold
out, or will that interfere with any necessary air flow to the plants?

also would it be best to stand the clay pots directly on to the concrete
patio slabs or
should I insulate the post from the slabs with a piece of wood, please?

thanking you for any advice.

yours john west

Hello! How cold are we talking about here? I've lived in a couple of cold
areas (Ohio and Buffalo, NY), one of which would get a lot of snow. In Ohio
I got to see some pretty experienced folks use some interesting methods of
protecting plants. Some of this may seem a little too *sub-arctic* to you.
Other folks may have other ideas.

Plastic bags will protect the plants from moisture, but any moisture
*inside* the bag could encourage fungus if you get a warming trend. If
they're black plastic, then any sun might scorch the plant where the two
come in contact, especially if the sun comes out and the temperature rises.

I like to make a frame of some stakes at least as tall as the plant around
the perimeter of the plant. Then I like to use newspaper (it's plentiful)
for insulation. I've never seen it harm the plant, and it breaks down
nicely. Shred the stuff and mulch with it around the base of the plant,
then wrap the plant (not too tightly) in burlap. I use a few lengths of
string wrapped around the burlap to keep it in place. I usually put a layer
or two of plastic around the supports as a windscreen, having it be at least
as high up as the top of the plant. You could try to staple the layers of
plastic together at the top, but the cord-wrapping method is best for
keeping it in place If you want to put more newspaper down in there, it's
fine, as long as you don't pack it in there too tightly.

For drainage, I'd try to raise the pot up slightly off the ground. If
you're in an extremely cold area, you might want to try setting it in a
cultivated area off the patio. Often areas closer to the structure are more
well protected, but you probable know by heart which areas are or are not.
Piling mulch around the pot will insulate the roots (and the pot) somewhat.
You could raise the pot up off the ground using a support of bricks, sticks,
or even gravel. The latter has worked for me. I've found that insulating
the pot is often a good investment in getting that plant to survive.
Someone I knew in Ohio would use a covered up section of insulation (like
you might put up under the rafters in the attic) and tie it around the pot
with a length of cord. You'd need to be careful handling anything like
that, and it would be best to cover the cut edges of it. Also wear gloves
when dealing with it.

Another possibility would be to put them in an unheated garage or enclosed
area, and I believe someone has already mentioned that. It would be the
easiest. Good luck. :-)

-
Al




All times are GMT +1. The time now is 02:14 AM.

Powered by vBulletin® Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
GardenBanter