Winter Protection for Mediterranean Plants
In autumn of 2019, from October through December we had had nearly 20”/50cm of rainfall, and by the end of March the garden was thoroughly saturated with 32+”/81cm.
I had never seen the flower beds actually under water (in some parts), but that happened several times through the winter. The garden is at the top of a hill and the soil is quite free-draining, but there was just too much rain.
In autumn of 2019, from October through December we had had nearly 20”/50cm of rainfall, and by the end of March the garden was thoroughly saturated with 32+”/81cm.
I had never seen the flower beds actually under water (in some parts), but that happened several times through the winter. The garden is at the top of a hill and the soil is quite free-draining, but there was just too much rain.
“I had never seen the flower beds actually under water…”
Mediterranean plants don’t like cold wet feet. Trying to think of some way to protect the roots of our plants it occurred to me that we could use left over roofing tiles (which would stay in place even in our fierce gales..).
That solution seemed to work extremely well and the following summer the artemisias, drought-loving sedums and fickle hybrid echinaceas were all just fine, despite our wet winter.
Mediterranean plants don’t like cold wet feet. Trying to think of some way to protect the roots of our plants it occurred to me that we could use left over roofing tiles (which would stay in place even in our fierce gales…).
That solution seemed to work extremely well and the following summer the artemisias, drought-loving sedums and fickle hybrid echinaceas were all just fine, despite our wet winter.
“Rather it is the combination of prolonged wet and cold that finishes them off.”
This autumn/ winter is shaping up to be another soaker so we have deployed the various tiles again.
Plants with woody stems that can’t be covered can have at least some protection with flat tiles pushed up under the stems as close to the crown center as possible.
The thing to bear in mind is that it’s not as if mediterranean plants can’t take some rainfall. Rather it is the combination of prolonged wet and cold that finishes them off. Protecting their crowns from the worst of the winter wet really makes a difference.
This autumn/ winter is shaping up to be another soaker so we have deployed the various tiles again.
Plants with woody stems that can’t be covered can have at least some protection with flat tiles pushed up under the stems as close to the crown center as possible.
The thing to bear in mind is that it’s not as if mediterranean plants can’t take some rainfall. Rather it is the combination of prolonged wet and cold that finishes them off. Protecting their crowns from the worst of the winter wet really makes a difference.
