Snow could be hitting the UK in days – just in time for a white Christmas – according to some forecasts.
Whether we get a 600-mile snow bomb, a quick Arctic blast or just 20 minutes of flimsy sleet, garden expert Alan Titchmarsh has advice for what gardeners need to do if the white stuff does arrive.
He appealed for calm as he told his army of green fingered garden fans that they don’t need to do anything – until after the snow comes.
Alan said that snow can be too heavy for trees to handle, and that you should go out and knock it off to avoid branches breaking.
He told the Express: “Knock [snow] off, because when it starts to thaw it gets very, very heavy and that is when branches break and that is when things like cedar branches are brought down, thawing snow.
“Daffodils and stuff just go into suspended animation.”
“Crocuses will be a bit knocked if they are open because the snow sits on them but everything else will just sit quietly and wait.
“Don’t start planting anything when it’s frosty and keep off your lawn when it’s frosty. On snow it doesn’t matter but when it’s frosty, you will break the blades of glass off.”
But most of all, just go out and admire the beauty of a freshly snowed garden, Alan added.
Other experts have also urged people to take care with their grass during snow.
As tempting as it may be, BBC Countryfile tells people try not to use lawns when the ground is wet, frozen or covered in snow as this is when the grass is most “vulnerable”.
They advise that if you must go on the grass during the snow, place a plank of wood on it as this helps spread your weight out.
Whether it snows or not in the coming week, the Met Office has issued a two-day yellow weather warning for wind affecting much of the UK, with power cuts and travel disruption possible.
