Will there be anything left after the snow has gone

[Littlemouse]

This is my first winter raised bed gardening. I had planted out psb, cabbages, iceberg lettuces, yellow senshyo (??) onions, and some leeks that mostly looked no more substantial than blades of grass.

I am wondering whether the psb, onions and leeks will survive. Rightly or wrongly I had bunged large water fountain bottle cloches over my cabbages and the lettuce and haven't looked as they are insulated by the snow. Appeared okay before Christmas.

I also had some pea plants out there under floppy plastic cloches I got carried away with keeping them covered and were flowering at the end of November and these are being eaten by something anyway.

Cannot check on the spinach I had growing under fleece supported by canes overlain with that strong brown plastic netting used to support climbers.

The fleeced tub of spinach by my back door seems to be relatively intact.

Now in two minds whether to go out and remove snow and risk damaging the plants further or whether to wait and see.

(Sorry, didn't see earlier thread or would have posted on that one)

[FionaH]

I am working on the wait and see theory. The snow is insulating the plants. I could be wrong though

[vegnut]

I would personally leave the snow, it acts a bit like a blanket. Also you would be surprised at what will survive. At the end of the day, if not much survives, then just go again. it is part of the fun of growing your own. good luck

[selfraising]

I'm waiting to see if my broad beans have survived. At the moment they have collapsed under a pile of snow!

[Jeanied]

Me too selfraising, though I'm going to sow again soon!

[rustylady]

LEAVE THE SNOW ALONE!! You will do more harm than good by removing it.

[selfraising]

Me too selfraising, though I'm going to sow again soon!

Well I was wondering wether to sow another lot in case this crop doesn't make it

[weekendwellies]

I read somewhere that plants have a kind of antifreeze that enables them to survive such severe weather.
As stated above the snow is insulating them and trying to move it you could damage the plants, so I would leave it to sort itself out.
The crops you have mentioned are suited to growing through the winter, and their wild cousins manage very well without interference from us.
You may have some losses though, but you may be surprised as to what survives.

[Glutton4...]

Well I was wondering wether to sow another lot in case this crop doesn't make it

What's another week or two in the grand scheme of things?

[solway cropper]

We had a very slight thaw today and I noticed the overwintering onions were still there and looking well. Some of the stuff in the unheated greenhouse that I thought had gone has perked up a bit in the weak winter sunshine. Like others say, plants are survivors. Just let them get on with it. I'll be sowing some stuff on the window sill over the next few days if the weather remains reasonable.

[Littlemouse]

Hello again. I think really I had made the decision to leave well alone and let things take care of themselves - I just remember that my PSB felt 'limp to the touch' before Christmas and wasn't sure if this was normal or not. They weren't huge plants as planted quite late. Am loving my learning curve!

[maypril]

I am working on the wait and see theory. The snow is insulating the plants. I could be wrong though

Yes, when I wanted my attic insulating, I asked them to do it with frozen water, and since that moment the placed me in an insulated, padded cell!

Seriously, I think plants prefer the snow to the frost, but they prefer basking in the sun.

[sarraceniac]

If it is any consolation to anybody, if you still have snow, round here it is almost gone and 3 trays of onions planted the week before Christmas, Senshyu, shallots and whites, that I didn't have room for under glass have re-appeared. The whites look a bit battered but I think will recover, and the others are fine.

[Nicos]

My OH pulled a stick of sprouts from the 'field' yesterday ( we have about 5 left)
They've been sat in 8" snow for the best part of 3 weeks and seemed quite firm to the touch.
However- when I was preparing them I had to chuck about 50% as they'd gone brown in the middle

[becslb]

My onions and garlic (at home) have green leaves just peeping through the snow and look fine. I went to the lottie just before this last lot of snow (so a week ago) and the kale had been attacked by starving pigeons... b. sprouts had blown ... have decided that there is no point me going back up until the snow has melted as I can't do anything.....