Comments on: How do I winter over hardy plants in containers?

By: peggy brooks

peggy brooks — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 19:31:49 +0000

thx’s, great info,this I can utilize too, i’ll be using your website. happy holidays!! peggy

By: Sue

Sue — Sun, 23 Nov 2008 18:25:23 +0000

Kathy,
I enjoyed reading this post and the replies. I overwinter lavenders and other herbs that I keep in pots all summer. So far, I have always gotten plants put in the ground that need to go there. I am thankful for my egress window, but a few did not fit in there this year. I was going to just use the herbs until they are no longer useable due to the weather, and hope for the best. If we get our garage cleaned out, I may try putting them in there. Thanks for the info!

By: James Mann

James Mann — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 10:37:10 +0000

I didn’t realize that it was that easy to figure out, just two zones difference.

I was wondering how to winter my container plants but in a panic I decided to plant them all back into the ground for the winter.

My Great Aunt use to bring in some of here container plants, after they die down, and put them in the old attic. She would also go up to the attic a few times over the winter and give them a little water. They all seemed to survive the winter and looked great once they were back out side in the spring.

By: Josh

Josh — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 20:22:09 +0000

Tedb and bogie are spot on…winter/spring freeze/thaw is a killer, along with being wet. Let the pots freeze and then keep them frozen (and dry) until spring. Frozen pots also reduce rodent problems, but if you are wintering a lot of plants baiting for rodents is a good idea.

By: bogie

bogie — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 11:46:18 +0000

Every year I have shrubs and perinnials that need to be overwintered. All I do is place them in a marginally protected area (next to the rugosa roses is a favorite place) let the pots sit there until they have frozen thru, then covered them with straw. I make sure to get a good batch of straw between the pots too, for good insulation.

What I am really after is to not let the plants thaw enough during warm snap in January that the plant starts to grow.

By: tedb

tedb — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 00:55:46 +0000

Here in zone 4 all the small nurseries I know just tip the containers on thier side ( I think to keep moisture out) and then cover them with straw or a foam blanket. Most any covering that breaths should work I would think. I’d also put them on the north side of a building or an evergreen would be a good idea. It seems important to keep plants at a steady temperature. Death would be more likely from growing to early in spring, or during an winer thaw, then the raw minimun temp the pots reach.

By: Kathy Purdy

Kathy Purdy — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 19:39:22 +0000

Fran, I would believe it because I’ve forgotten plants myself. You are in a warmer zone than I am, so the evergreen snuggle was not as chancy as it would be for me. A lot of times we try something and cross our fingers, but we aren’t sure it works until after it does.

Annie, that thought had crossed my mind, but our sandbox still gets a lot of use and I would probably hear complaints.

By: Fran Sorin

Fran Sorin — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 19:34:05 +0000

Kathy-
You’re not going to believe it but there have been times that I have literally forgotten to plant hostas or grasses on my top back bed in the garden before winter sets in. I just snuggle them in the corner under the protection of evergreens and believe it or not, they have done just fine hte following spring when I plant them up. Great advice given here….a much needed subject. Fran

By: Annie in Austin

Annie in Austin — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 17:12:59 +0000

In the North I sometimes set hardy containers in a sheltered area up against the house and covered them in woodchips and leaves, but we didn’t have voles, thank heavens.

You know Kathy, thinking back, my favorite place to overwinter hardy containers was one originally made for our kids. When they grew older their old rectangular, in-ground sandbox was perfect! It was well drained and you didn’t really need to dig holes, just scoop out depressions in the sand.

Annie at the Transplantable Rose

By: Carol, May Dreams Gardens

Carol, May Dreams Gardens — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 23:13:40 +0000

Kathy, good point about the roots, that’s what you want to be concerned about. It’s also good to water a few times through the winter if you have the pots stashed someplace where they don’t get rained or snowed on.