Why a Little Work Now Saves a Lot of Money Later

British winters are rarely dramatic, and that is exactly what catches gardeners out. It is not one spectacular freeze that cracks a favourite pot; it is weeks of wet, windy weather followed by a sharp frost, then a thaw, then another frost. Water sits in the rim of a terracotta planter or in the joints of a wooden bench, expands as it freezes, and quietly prises things apart. By March, a pot you have had for fifteen years has a hairline crack running down one side, and the slats on your table have started to lift.

The good news is that an afternoon or two of preparation in late autumn will see most of your outdoor furniture and containers through to spring in far better shape. You do not need expensive kit. You need a dry day, a stiff brush, somewhere to store the soft furnishings, and a little patience.

Clean, Check and Dry Before Anything Gets Covered

Dirt and damp are the enemies here. A cover put over a grubby, wet table will trap moisture against the surface for months, which is a recipe for mould, mildew and blistering paintwork.

• Brush off leaves, cobwebs and soil with a stiff hand brush, then wash timber, metal and plastic furniture with warm water and a little washing-up liquid. Rinse well and let everything dry completely in the open air.
• Wipe down cushions and parasols according to their care labels, and make sure they are bone dry before they go anywhere near a shed or loft.
• Check joints, welds and fixings while everything is clean and visible. Tighten loose bolts, and treat any bare patches on metal with a touch of paint or a squirt of penetrating oil to keep rust at bay.
• Look at wooden furniture with fresh eyes. If the surface feels dry and grey, a coat of oil or wood preserver now will feed the timber before the worst of the weather. Choose a dry, mild day and give it a full day to soak in.

Get Your Pots Off the Ground

This is the single most effective thing you can do for containers, and it costs almost nothing. Water collecting under a pot freezes, expands and can crack even a sturdy planter. It also keeps the compost waterlogged, which rots roots far more reliably than cold ever does.

• Stand pots on proper pot feet, or improvise with bricks, stone offcuts or short lengths of timber batten.
• Remove saucers and drip trays for the winter so water drains freely instead of pooling.
• Check that drainage holes are clear. Roots and compacted compost often block them, so poke through with a slim cane.
• Group pots together against a wall. Clustering creates a small pocket of warmer air and shields the plants from wind.
• Wrap terracotta, glazed and thin-walled containers in bubble wrap or hessian, secured with string around the pot rather than the plant. Leave the top open so air can circulate.

Before you wrap anything up, tip out any standing water and cut back on watering. Most container plants need very little between November and February, and soggy compost in a cold pot is a killer.

Move Delicate Containers Somewhere Sheltered

Half-hardy shrubs, small citrus, olives, bays and anything in a glazed pot will thank you for a move. A cold greenhouse, conservatory, porch, unheated garage or even a bright shed will do. The aim is to keep the worst of the wet off the roots while still giving the plant light and moving air.

If you cannot move a large pot, wrap the container and shift it hard against the house wall, ideally under a porch or the eaves where rain rarely reaches. Slugs and snails will still find shelter there, so a quick check under the rim once a fortnight is worthwhile — and it is also the perfect moment to look for vine weevil grubs in the top inch of compost.

Bring tender patio plants into a frost-free spot by the end of October across most of the UK, and earlier in Scotland and the north. A simple cold frame, or a clear plastic cloche over a sheltered border, can give smaller pots a useful extra degree or two.

Cover and Store Furniture the Right Way

Wind damages more garden furniture in Britain than cold ever does. A flapping cover, or a lightweight chair left out in a gale, can scratch, bend and topple things far more quickly than frost.

• Where you can, store furniture indoors. Stack chairs, fold tables, and put cushions and parasols in a dry loft, spare room or shed. Parasols should be closed, dried and stored upright indoors with the canopy off the floor.
• If furniture must stay out, choose breathable covers rather than plastic sheeting. Plastic traps condensation against the surface; breathable fabric lets moisture escape.
• Secure covers with rope or bungee cords, and lift the bottom edge slightly on calm days to let air move through.
• Weight down or store parasol bases and any lightweight pots, and put heavier items where they cannot blow into a greenhouse or a window.

Your Winter Weekend Checklist

• Clean, rinse and fully dry furniture, cushions and parasols.
• Oil or treat bare timber and touch up any rust spots.
• Raise every pot onto feet, bricks or battens, and remove saucers.
• Group pots together in a sheltered spot and wrap the most vulnerable containers.
• Move tender plants into a light, frost-free place.
• Store soft furnishings indoors and cover remaining furniture with breathable covers tied down against the wind.

Do this once, properly, and you can spend the winter planning next year's planting instead of repairing what the weather has broken.