It’s natural for garden lovers to worry about their plants during the winter months.
After all, temperatures drop, frost gathers and our lovely lawns start to look a little flat. With snow forecast for a lot of the UK this weekend, it may be something that’s playing on your mind.
But, fear not, as a gardening expert has given the low-down on if the white stuff is really bad for our gardens. Ish, known as gardening.with.ish on TikTok explained all in a candid video.
He said there are pros and cons to snow, and there are simple reasons why. Ish explained: « Snow has an amazing thermal property that no one really expects from something that’s ice cold.
« Because most snow is around that 90% to 95% air, it forms a really nice thick layer right above your beds and perennials, and actually works as a nice insulating property, which stops it from getting any damage from frost. So, that’s a win. »
He said the slight downside is if you’ve got new seedlings growing – because, if you’ve stored them outdoors, something as cold as snow might be a bit of a shock for them. It’s wise to scrape it off and pop the plants in the greenhouse if you can.
But Ish noted it’s « amazing » how much moisture snow can offer your garden too. Winter can be quite dry so it will help to loosen up the soil and add moisture to plants.
If you have a nice bed of snow on your grass it will slowly melt, and seep into the soil underneath. This, in turn, will leave you with a « very healthy » lawn.
The video has been viewed dozens of times since it was shared, and people love hearing Ish’s advice. It’s handy to know these things about our gardens after all.
There are also other benefits to snow that you may not know about. Experts say, as well as being a natural insulator and protecting plants from cold temperatures, it can also act as a source of nutrients for the soil when it thaws.
But it’s important to know that heavy snowfall also has the potential to damage branches on certain plants, especially evergreens. Even though it’s not always necessary, you may need to be careful when removing heavy snow from delicate plants to prevent damage.
