[hitmanhayes]

are they good for summer harvest?

[gowing238]

Pot holes everywhere!!!

[mumofstig]

After last year's cold we seemed to have fewer slugs and snails..........I can't think of anything else


Pot holes?...on the allotment?  

[DD.]

Quite.

Hopefully even fewer slugs though!

[hitmanhayes]

I had heard that it can improve a fruit harvest?

cracking good news on the slug front!

[gillie]

A general reduction in pests including mice and voles which can be a nuisance around here.  Blackcurrants need a good frost to crop well - which is why they are grown commercially in Scotland.

A breaking down of soil clods.

Actually I cannot think of any bad effects of a hard winter, as long as it does not stretch too far into the spring.

[solway cropper]

We have a lot of peat mosses in this area and they tend to breed huge clouds of midges. After last winter midge numbers were down so it was almost possible to enjoy gardening in the evening. With a bit of luck this cold will have decimated the survivors and lead to a midge-free summer. Well, I can dream.

[Trillium]

No such thing as midge-free season due to hard winter. Trust me. But it can help reduce numbers, same with a lot of other garden pests. Mice and voles will seek winter protection  in snow tunnels and survive in healthy numbers unfortunately.

Definitely right on the fruit front - a good winter freeze gives them the proper rest they need and lots of snow will sink into the soil in spring for a good watering of reviving roots. But delicate plants like camellias, passion flower, bay trees, etc will probably not make it through.

[paintedlady]

bay trees, etc will probably not make it through.

I live in hope but the 15ft high monster next door that takes all the light from my garden seems to be as healthy as ever    I've noticed the privet hedge on the other boundary is badly scorched in places.

This year was the best for carrots - barely any carrot fly or slug damage at all, so maybe next year will be even better.  And overwintered garlic were brilliant too

[DD.]

In case you're wondering why all the posts have been edited, I ought to explain that in the thread title I've corrected the word "affects" to "effects". This is for search purposes as if someone, for instance, searched for "winter effects", this thread would not have been found.

[joyfull]

bay trees, etc will probably not make it through.

I live in hope but the 15ft high monster next door that takes all the light from my garden seems to be as healthy as ever    I've noticed the privet hedge on the other boundary is badly scorched in places.

the chances are your neighbours monster is a bay laurel and not the bay used for cooking, they are very good winter survivors and provide an all year round roost for birds.

[fatbelly]

I and other plotters on our site noticed a reduction in the number of slugs this summer after last winter. So here's hoping for next season.

[Trillium]

I was referring to the cooking bay tree which I know is very susceptible to very cold weather. I'm not familiar with the bay laurel, which even sounds like it's a tough customer.

Severe weather will help cut back on the amount of slugs but never eliminate them all. Trust me on that one as well. Particularly as rainy weather seems to make slugs thrive regardless of what winter they've come through.

As for leaf scorching from wind/cold burn, we get that even on some of our extremely hardy plants and it's a matter of judicious pruning come spring.

[joyfull]

the laurel I refer to is a hedging plant (cherry laurel) which has larger leaves and grows enormous. Sadly it can be poisonous unlike the cooking type.

[solway cropper]

No such thing as midge-free season due to hard winter. Trust me.

Severe weather will help cut back on the amount of slugs but never eliminate them all. Trust me on that one as well

I think you might be taking things a bit too literally