Why do primroses grow in winter

Also nice: create or join a topic on our gardening forum , too. Your email address will not be published. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Facebook Pinterest Twitter Email. Home » Gardening » Garden Flowers » Primrose, one of the first to bloom! Log in or Join. Meet the community. Need advice? Their biggest enemy is our state mollusk, the slug.

Slugs munch them happily, choosing primroses over many other plants. You may wish to use slug bait, choosing the least-toxic type with iron phosphate as the active ingredient Sluggo or Worry Free. If you become intrigued by primroses an easy obsession to acquire , be aware that the ordinary winter type are the commonfolk of their tribe.

The American Primrose Society www. Doubles, gold-laced, drumstick shapes, tall and short, primroses have been beloved in gardens for hundreds of years. They bloom in early spring.

Whether perennial or just passing through, primroses are the signature plants of January and February here. Her e-mail is marysophia olympus. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 2 through 9, depending on the species.

Primroses become dormant and survive in frozen ground during winter. If a late-spring or early-fall freeze occurs, however, it may damage unprotected primroses' blooms or foliage, though eventually the plants would recover.

Plant new primroses outdoors about two weeks before the last expected frost date. They can harden off in the cool weather. Keep the compost moist but not wet.

Fill a pot to around 10cm from the rim with good quality multi-purpose compost. Remove the plants from their pots, teasing out the roots if they are pot-bound. Plant each one so that the top of the rootball and compost are level, just below the rim of the pot.

Fill in any gaps between the plants with more compost, holding the flowers out of the way. Water well. If the compost settles unevenly, top up the gaps with more compost. Position the pot where you can enjoy it easily in winter — near the front door or on the patio.