Hello there

I have a couple of nice pineapple sage plants but from what I have
read they will need some frost protection. I am wondering whether
anyone has any suggestions as to what they can be insulated with -
will I have to go and buy some horticultural fleece (which I haven't
used before) or is there something that might do just as well?

Any suggestions would be very handy!

Kindest regards

Ruth

(Ruth) wrote in news:1a410f23.0311240942.5366e115
@posting.google.com:

Hello there

I have a couple of nice pineapple sage plants but from what I have
read they will need some frost protection. I am wondering whether
anyone has any suggestions as to what they can be insulated with -
will I have to go and buy some horticultural fleece (which I haven't
used before) or is there something that might do just as well?

Horticultural fleece is good because it protects the plant without
preventing air circulating and allowing it to get enough light.

Anything else you use needs to be transparent.

You can use bubble-wrap or simply layer a few plastic bags over the top of
the plant if it is small enough.

But it might make the plant a little bit more vulnerable to fungal
infection, because the air can't circulate - specially if it is damp.

If you go for plastic bags, make sure you put them on on a dry day when
there is no water on the leaves. I used to try to remember to take them
off on sunny days through the winter when I did that, so the plant isn't
totally encased for weeks on end.

Or if you have an old window or some perspex and some bricks, you could
simply build a basic cold-frame round them and dismantle it in the spring.

Victoria
--
gardening on a north-facing hill
in South-East Cornwall
--

"Ruth" wrote in message
om...
Hello there

I have a couple of nice pineapple sage plants but from what I have
read they will need some frost protection. I am wondering whether
anyone has any suggestions as to what they can be insulated with -
will I have to go and buy some horticultural fleece (which I haven't
used before) or is there something that might do just as well?

Any suggestions would be very handy!
Kindest regards Ruth

Fleece is brilliant stuff because it lets the plant(s) breath while wrapped up.
It does not go 'soggy' as old blankets etc will
It's ligthweight and easy to wrap round things.

Maybe you have an old fleece jumper you could use as a trial ?

Jenny

Fleece will only give you 2 or 3 degrees of protection, Take cuttings ASAP.
You could cut back fairly hard and cover well with compost and straw. Really
depends on the sort of frosts you get in your part of the world.

--
David Hill
Abacus nurseries
www.abacus-nurseries.co.uk

Fleece will only give you 2 or 3 degrees of protection, Take cuttings ASAP.
You could cut back fairly hard and cover well with compost and straw. Really
depends on the sort of frosts you get in your part of the world.

--
David Hill
Abacus nurseries
www.abacus-nurseries.co.uk

Fleece will only give you 2 or 3 degrees of protection, Take cuttings ASAP.
You could cut back fairly hard and cover well with compost and straw. Really
depends on the sort of frosts you get in your part of the world.

--
David Hill
Abacus nurseries
www.abacus-nurseries.co.uk

Victoria Clare wrote in message 8.207...
(Ruth) wrote in news:1a410f23.0311240942.5366e115
@posting.google.com:

Hello there

I have a couple of nice pineapple sage plants but from what I have
read they will need some frost protection. snip

Horticultural fleece is good because it protects the plant without
preventing air circulating and allowing it to get enough light.

Anything else you use needs to be transparent.
snip

Or if you have an old window or some perspex and some bricks, you could
simply build a basic cold-frame round them and dismantle it in the spring.


Many thanks for that Victoria - yes, I think that a cold frame may be
the way to go, I have a few bits and pieces I can use. The plants have
grown like mad this year so I wouldn't like to lose them!

All the best

Ruth

"JennyC" wrote in message ...
"Ruth" wrote in message
om...
Hello there

I have a couple of nice pineapple sage plants but from what I have
read they will need some frost protection. snip

Maybe you have an old fleece jumper you could use as a trial ?


Yes, I was wondering if I could use something breathable instead as
i've never actually seen horticultural fleece close up! Thanks for the
info

All the best

Ruth

Hi David

"David Hill" wrote in message ...
Fleece will only give you 2 or 3 degrees of protection, Take cuttings ASAP.
You could cut back fairly hard and cover well with compost and straw. Really
depends on the sort of frosts you get in your part of the world.

Yes, a cutting or two would be a good idea - I live in London so frost
isn't a massive problem here but even so....

All the best


Ruth

"Ruth" wrote in message
om...
Hello there

I have a couple of nice pineapple sage plants but from what I have
read they will need some frost protection. I am wondering whether
anyone has any suggestions as to what they can be insulated with -
will I have to go and buy some horticultural fleece (which I haven't
used before) or is there something that might do just as well?

Any suggestions would be very handy!

Kindest regards

Bubble plastic packing material, but take it off during the day.

Franz

Ruth wrote:

Hello there

I have a couple of nice pineapple sage plants but from what I have
read they will need some frost protection. I am wondering whether
anyone has any suggestions as to what they can be insulated with -
will I have to go and buy some horticultural fleece (which I haven't
used before) or is there something that might do just as well?

Any suggestions would be very handy!

Kindest regards

Ruth


There are various 'in betweens' that are similar.. different grades of
fleece, branded poducts like papronet etc.. I have even known people to
useold net curtains though cannot vouch for their effeciacy!

Jim

"Ruth" wrote in message
om...
"JennyC" wrote in message
...
"Ruth" wrote in message
om...
Hello there

I have a couple of nice pineapple sage plants but from what I have
read they will need some frost protection. snip

Maybe you have an old fleece jumper you could use as a trial ?

Yes, I was wondering if I could use something breathable instead as
i've never actually seen horticultural fleece close up! Thanks for the
info

All the best Ruth

Gosh, you mean to say you don't have ANY fleece jumpers !

It's made by recycling plastic bottles - About 50 soft drinks bottles go into a
sweater.

Jenny

"Franz Heymann" wrote in message ...
"Ruth" wrote in message
om...
Hello there

I have a couple of nice pineapple sage plants but from what I have
read they will need some frost protection. I am wondering whether
anyone has any suggestions as to what they can be insulated with -
will I have to go and buy some horticultural fleece (which I haven't
used before) or is there something that might do just as well?

Any suggestions would be very handy!

Kindest regards

Bubble plastic packing material, but take it off during the day.

Cheers Franz!

All the best

Ruth

Ruth2/12/03 5:45

"Franz Heymann" wrote in message
...
"Ruth" wrote in message
om...
Hello there

I have a couple of nice pineapple sage plants but from what I have
read they will need some frost protection. I am wondering whether
anyone has any suggestions as to what they can be insulated with -
will I have to go and buy some horticultural fleece (which I haven't
used before) or is there something that might do just as well?

Any suggestions would be very handy!

Kindest regards

Bubble plastic packing material, but take it off during the day.

Cheers Franz!

All the best

Ruth

Bubble wrap will produce condensation and that, in itself, could rot your
plants. I would suggest you dig your plants up, put them in pots of
well-drained compost, keep them frost free in a greenhouse or conservatory
with a just-above-freezing heater and as dry rooted as makes no difference
and then pop them out again next year once frosts have passed, bring them in
again next winter etc. Why take them out of their pots, really? Let them be
an ornamental feature and then protect them each year.
If you *really* want to faff around with bubble wrap, I would suggest that
you *might* find that you're wasting your time anyway. Wet, cold soil that
is not sharply drained may well kill them anyway. These are herbs and like
all herbs of Med origin need dry feet, not our cold, wet, English winters.
Even in the Med, they grow on stony soils that are sharply drained in wet
winters.
Your choice, of course but more people lose Salvias, Lavandulas (some)
Rosmarinus (some) and other such plants through wet roots than through
anything else, depending on location. For the more tender species, the
frost will simply be the coup de grace when combined with the perpetually
wet roots.
We know that we can over-winter Salvia involucrata in a bed beside the house
wall but we also know that we cannot over-winter Salvia confertiflora. We
have to re-plant that every year but it's worth it because it flowers late
and is a lovely colour. I'd suggest the rule is "if in doubt, don't risk
it" and always, always to remember that cold, perpetually wet soil will kill
many such plants and that no amount of wrap or fleece will alter that.
We know that friends of ours can grow Rosemary 'Severn Seas' at Salcombe but
that we are taking a risk with it here. Trial and expensive error, I'm
afraid. If you don't want to take the risk, pot them up, bring them in etc.
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
(remove the 'x' to email me)

"Sacha" wrote in message
.. .
Ruth2/12/03 5:45

"Franz Heymann" wrote in message
...
"Ruth" wrote in message
om...
Hello there

I have a couple of nice pineapple sage plants but from what I have
read they will need some frost protection. I am wondering whether
anyone has any suggestions as to what they can be insulated with -
will I have to go and buy some horticultural fleece (which I haven't
used before) or is there something that might do just as well?

Any suggestions would be very handy!

Kindest regards

Bubble plastic packing material, but take it off during the day.

Cheers Franz!

All the best

Ruth

Bubble wrap will produce condensation and that, in itself, could rot your
plants.

Note that I said that it should be taken off during the day. I doubt if the
plants would rot if they were aired as regularly as that.
Strictly I should have said the wrap should be removed during frost-free
days.

[snip]

Franz