Winter plants

[*Stormforce~beka*]

Hiya,

As most of my summer plants are over/almost over I am wondering what I can put in their place for winter. Are there any plants that would be happy on the balcony in pots, or in the boxes I have hanging on the railings?

Are there any plants that would flower or look good in winter but also be over to use the pots again in the spring??

Thanks in advance!

[coldfingers]

Hiya,

As most of my summer plants are over/almost over I am wondering what I can put in their place for winter. Are there any plants that would be happy on the balcony in pots, or in the boxes I have hanging on the railings?

Are there any plants that would flower or look good in winter but also be over to use the pots again in the spring??

Thanks in advance!

Pansy, polyanthus, primula.

Winter flowering heather.

variagated Ivy for trailing.

you could try to find very early flowering bulbs but how early they flower depends of course on whether we have a mild or colder winter.

The pansy I can usually get away with here on the coast, not sure about Winchester.

Young Cordyline also look good in containers, especially the red variety, need a friend with a garden to pass them on to when they get big though.

Edited September 24, 2006 by coldfingers

[Osbourne One-Nil]

Christmas Trees

Lichen

[coldfingers]

Christmas Trees

Lichen

'bout all you can get away with up in your area OON :lol:

[MAF]

Christmas Trees

Lichen

holly and ivy

[coldfingers]

holly and ivy

:lol: don't forget the mistletoe, curses only grows on trees, how big a balcony you got

[coldfingers]

Firethorn looks good too. Puncture your football though if you play on your balcony.

[MAF]

Firethorn looks good too. Puncture your football though if you play on your balcony.

cant see beka playing with a ball on her balcony

[SP1986]

Just search anything Coniferous or none-deciduous. Simple. For example make a hanging basket of ivy, perhaps you could make a temporary holly bow? Holly usually changes form around now, it's one of the only few plants that is none deciduous and is a metamorphic plant

[*Stormforce~beka*]

Thankyou for the help chaps. I have to say I do like the christmas trees and ivy etc idea. Although I somewhat feel my neighbours might have something to say about it!! Or even might shoot me.

Doesn't ivy grow like mad and get everywhere?

No room on my balcony to swing a cat let alone play ball! I have about 3metres by 1/2 metre of space to play with. I have some tubs with rose, (dead mint!) sunflower, and my tomotoes. Tomatoes 1 end and the tubs the other. I also have 2 boxes hanging on the railings at one end. The other end I left free as I use it to dry my bed sheets and washing over!!

Silk flowers sounds good then I dont have to water them. :lol: I'm only a new bee miss green fingers really! My Pansys went over in the boxes about a month ago. Although I recon this was due to lack of watering after being on holiday. Do I throw these out or cut them back? Do they regrow the year after?I have 2 carnations (?) that are still going at the moment. Do they survive til spring? Lots to learn!

[coldfingers]

Thankyou for the help chaps. I have to say I do like the christmas trees and ivy etc idea. Although I somewhat feel my neighbours might have something to say about it!! Or even might shoot me.

Doesn't ivy grow like mad and get everywhere?

No room on my balcony to swing a cat let alone play ball! I have about 3metres by 1/2 metre of space to play with. I have some tubs with rose, (dead mint!) sunflower, and my tomotoes. Tomatoes 1 end and the tubs the other. I also have 2 boxes hanging on the railings at one end. The other end I left free as I use it to dry my bed sheets and washing over!!

Silk flowers sounds good then I dont have to water them. I'm only a new bee miss green fingers really! My Pansys went over in the boxes about a month ago. Although I recon this was due to lack of watering after being on holiday. Do I throw these out or cut them back? Do they regrow the year after?I have 2 carnations (?) that are still going at the moment. Do they survive til spring? Lots to learn!

With the carnations, if you have any new shoots without flowers, break the shoots off and just push into the soil and they should grow again next year. make sure they are well watered for at least a week after planting the shoots, that way you can increase your plants. The carnations I have in the garden at the moment came from shoots I broke off from flowers in a bouquet someone gave me.

You can try cutting the pansies back as the winter pansies I have flowered into summer by doing that but I am not sure if the winter pansies are a different variety. Worth a try anyway.

The ivy should stay contained in a container oops, self-evident really! Just cut it back when it gets out of hand.

Hyacinth and small variety of narcisus or crocus would look good in the boxes or snowdrops.

I can't grow the snowdrop or crocus 'cos I have a thieving squirrel that waits until they come into flower then calmly digs them up and eats the bulb. What with that and the neighbours cat that thinks my flower beds are the dirt box it's owner doesn't provide , you can think yourself lucky to have a balcony they can't reach.

Edited September 25, 2006 by coldfingers

[Andy Bown]

Judging by what I've seen today Daffodils are now trying to be a winter plant :blink: . Have seen stems growing to 3 inches as of this morning!! In recent years they've been visible in the first half of January, but late November :huh: !

[Angel15]

Hiya,

As most of my summer plants are over/almost over I am wondering what I can put in their place for winter. Are there any plants that would be happy on the balcony in pots, or in the boxes I have hanging on the railings?

Are there any plants that would flower or look good in winter but also be over to use the pots again in the spring??

Thanks in advance!

How about some winter pansies? I have put some in to brighten it up a bit :blink:

[*Stormforce~beka*]

Judging by what I've seen today Daffodils are now trying to be a winter plant . Have seen stems growing to 3 inches as of this morning!! In recent years they've been visible in the first half of January, but late November !

Blimy! I had my rose, 1 hyasynth, and some left over carnations. I brought them in for the "Windy weather" and put them back out. But i dont know what to do with the Hyacynth bulb. Its shooting all over and got 2 flowers! Do I keep it indoors or chuck it outside too. Also the carnations are flowering still too and have been all summer!!

How about some winter pansies? I have put some in to brighten it up a bit

Do they die to throw them out in Spring? Or will they keep going then?

[Osbourne One-Nil]

To be fair, some of those words won't come up with a spell check.

[Drew]

My top tip is cyclamen. They are everywhere at the moment (some are beautifully scented) and work well out doors esp in tubs. In terms of bulbs i have some dwarf iris which seem to come up these days before snow drops in bring colour in early/mid jan.

Winter flowering pansies are good as other people have mentioned but can be popular with any slugs still around. If you've the right soil some heathers will flower for you too.

You could also try things that get berries. There's a shrub called Callicarpa which has unusual purple berries that last throughout the winter and it has a smallish habit so easily grown in a tub. Wych Hazel also gives some winter colour if you've more room.

Other small shrubs that can work well with nice flowers (some scented) are viburnums winter jasmines and winter box which has highly wscentede flowers from chrismtas til about Feb...

Use to work in a garden centre.. Hope this helps