5 Ways to Use Hortiwool this Winter

Winter can present a real challenge for even the most experienced gardeners. Bitter temperatures, biting winds and persistent moisture can take their toll on soil, pots and overwintering plants. Fortunately, wool is naturally insulating, breathable and highly absorbent, making Hortiwool Garden Pads an ideal companion for cold-season gardening.

Whether you're protecting pots, enriching the soil or keeping your greenhouse more stable through the chillier months, these versatile pads can make winter gardening simpler, more sustainable and far more effective.

Here are five practical ways to use Hortiwool Garden Pads in winter to keep your garden thriving.

1. Add Insulation Under Pots

One of the biggest issues gardeners face in winter is cold seeping into plant pots from beneath. Terracotta, ceramic and even some plastic pots can become extremely cold. Chilling the roots and causing stress or even root damage. Raising pots slightly can help, but to properly buffer them from the cold, a layer of natural insulation is key.

Hortiwool Garden Pads work brilliantly placed beneath pots, either whole or cut to size. Wool's insulating properties naturally regulate temperature, protecting roots from freezing conditions and helping maintain a more stable environment. They also provide gentle cushioning, reduce risk of pots cracking in severe weather, and improve drainage by lifting the pot away from cold ground frost.

If you’re overwintering tender perennials or potted shrubs, adding a Hortiwool pad underneath the container can make a noticeable difference in their resilience through winter.

2. Use Wool for Frost Protection

Frost is a gardener’s winter enemy. Late autumn frosts can damage new growth, and deep winter frosts can cause lasting harm. Luckily, wool has been used for centuries as an effective frost barrier thanks to its breathability and ability to trap pockets of warm air.

Hortiwool can be laid over vulnerable plants, wrapped around containers, or placed around the base of shrubs to help buffer them from frost. Unlike plastic coverings, wool doesn’t suffocate plants or trap moisture in a way that encourages rot. Instead, it provides a breathable layer that protects plants from the harshest winter conditions while still allowing airflow.

For particularly delicate plants such as ferns, young herbs or winter salad crops, a layer of wool can give them the extra protection they need to make it through an unexpected cold snap.

3. Line Your Greenhouse with Hortiwool for Extra Warmth

Greenhouses can lose heat quickly in the colder months, especially overnight. While heaters and insulation film are helpful, adding natural thermal buffering is a smart way to enhance the microclimate inside.

Hortiwool Garden Pads make excellent greenhouse liners in winter. They can be placed along shelves, used to line cold frames, or positioned against draughty areas. Wool helps stabilise temperature by absorbing moisture from humid air and releasing it slowly. Reducing condensation and supporting a healthier growing environment.

You can also use the pads as protective layers under seed trays or propagation stations. Giving young plants a better chance of thriving until spring light levels return.

4. Cover Compost Heaps to Maintain Activity

Composting continues in winter but slows dramatically as temperatures drop. To keep microbes active and your compost warm enough to break down effectively, insulation is vital.

Covering your compost heap with Hortiwool Garden Pads helps retain heat while allowing excess moisture to escape. This prevents the heap from becoming waterlogged; one of the most common winter composting problems. The pads can be laid directly on top of the heap or used beneath a secondary cover such as a tarp or reused sack.

As the wool gradually breaks down, fibres can even be incorporated into the heap to enhance structure and airflow. Helping create a richer compost for spring and summer gardening.

5. Enrich Soil Naturally Over Winter

Winter is a perfect time to improve soil quality so that it’s ready for the growing seasons ahead. Mulching beds and borders helps protect soil from erosion, reduces nutrient leaching and encourages beneficial organisms to stay active.

Hortiwool Garden Pads can be torn up and used as a natural soil enricher or mulch. As wool composts, it releases nitrogen slowly. Just what the soil needs to support microbial life during the colder months. Layers of wool mulch can be added around fruit trees, vegetable beds, perennials or even empty winter beds to prepare them for spring planting.

Because wool holds moisture well, it also helps regulate soil hydration. Preventing winter drying during cold but rain-free spells.

Winter Gardening Made Simple with Wool

Winter doesn’t have to be a dormant time in the garden. With the natural insulation, breathability and slow-release nutrients offered by Hortiwool Garden Pads, you can protect vulnerable plants and stabilise growing environments. Enrich your soil and ensure your garden remains healthy even in the coldest months.

Whether you're insulating pots, shielding plants from frost, lining your greenhouse, tending your compost or supporting soil health, wool is a simple, sustainable and effective solution.Perfect for eco-friendly winter gardening.