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Before the popular arrival of the Victorian greenhouse, winter was a dreaded thing feared by many gardeners lacking the precise conditions to deal with the coming of winter. Rather than a welcome intermission between the old year and new, it represented a time of worry, decay, and at times substantial loss. Plants succumbed not only to frost but to predators. Instead of starting the New Year with a reliable stock, as is now considered the norm, most gardeners accepted their loss begrudgingly, faced with the bitter prospect of starting all over again from scratch.

While it would be a lie to say that greenhouses are essential to provide a place for overwintering, it is certainly true to say that by using one the risks of overwintering rapidly diminish.

Specific Advantages Of Overwintering

More than just simply preserving plants, there is an additional benefit to using proper overwintering techniques. Plants inevitably stay in great condition, meaning that when the time comes to prosper they do so with even more enthusiasm than in the season before.

As well as plants, herbs and berries of all description will use overwintering to great advantage. Chives, Parsley and Basil in particular, as well as Red and Black Raspberries.

Obviously, though, the overwintering treatment of plants, perennial flowers and ornamental differs dramatically, depending on a number of variables and factors which the greenhouse owner should carefully research.

Thank Goodness For The Victorian Greenhouse

Overwintering in the pre-greenhouse age was not only a fight to keep plants safe from the damaging, wide-spread effects of frost, but a determined struggle against another unstoppable foe: rodents. Thankfully in the modern age this problem has become all but eradicated. The best quality Victorian greenhouse is an impenetrable fortress.

Also problematic in times gone by was that of fluctuating temperature in the outside environment. Especially for plants based in containers where frozen soil could spell doom overnight. In some cases the cold air incurred tissue burn which led to rapid moisture loss.

Nowadays temperature and humidity in the greenhouse can be regulated to such an extent that these kinds of problems are extremely rare. Providing the owner is well aware of the danger symptoms concerning the myriad of different plants and produce (and adjusts the greenhouse accordingly), any overwintering issue should be easily rectifiable in the very beginning stages.

Light & Shade

Despite popular long-standing belief, plants are not in need of a constant supply of sunlight. It would even be true to say that the majority of plants will be perfectly content in the greenhouse which receives only a small amount of sunlight every day. In terms of light and shade, the key to overwintering plants effectively is to keep them in a cool place, away from frost. All plants must receive light of some kind. Although winter is a time of reduced growth and slowing down, light is a crucial factor which no plant can do entirely without.

The Overwintering Window

The specific window of time when overwintering should begin varies tremendously from place to place, but is generally considered to be sometime between the end of August and the latter part of September. In October, as plants require less water and nature forces them into a kind of mild hibernation, fertilization should also be nearing an end.

Peter Cutler is one of several writers and gardening specialists you'll find on the website of Hartley Botanic Greenhouses. Hartley is the world's premier greenhouse and Victorian glasshouse builder. Visit the website for a wide range of greenhouse growing tips and techniques, see some of the world's most spectacular greenhouses and learn how a quality greenhouse can make four season growing a rich and rewarding experience.