Do not fertilize your plants while they are dormant. Little Quick Fire ® Hydrangea Care ConsiderationsĪ perennial or shrub in a pot isn't completely care free even in the winter. Good choices for a container that is going to be left outside include plastic, composite, metal and wood pots. Although I have, at times, successfully left pots of this type out all winter, I knew I was risking breaking the pot. Clay, glazed and porcelain pots are susceptible to breaking in the winter. If you know you are going to leave your pot sitting outside all winter you should choose a container that won't break from the freeze/thaw action. If you want to try to ensure your success choose a plant 2 zones hardier. Some winters you are likely to be successful, others the plant won't survive. If you are a gambler you can try to overwinter a plant that is one zone hardier than your zone (for a zone 5 garden this would be a plant hardy in zone 4) in a pot that is left sitting out. Plants in the ground benefit from the sheer mass of the surrounding land, the ground simply stays warmer than your pot will. Freeze/thaw action is especially hard on plants. This will lead to multiple freeze/thaw cycles throughout the winter. The soil will also thaw out quicker than the ground. The reason a plant in a pot needs to be hardier than one planted in the ground is that the soil in the pot will freeze harder than the ground. I live in zone 5, to be certain a plant in a pot is hardy for me I should choose one that is hardy to zone 3. The rule of thumb for a plant to be winter hardy in a pot sitting on your patio is that it should be two zones hardier than the climate zone you live in. The easiest way to overwinter a plant in a pot is to choose one that will be hardy in the pot. Pardon My Pink' Bee Balm Monarda Choosing the Best Plants for Overwinteringįor those of you that do want to overwinter a perennial or shrub in a pot, it can be done. As much as we hear about the "rules" of gardening, what is really important is that you enjoy your garden. If you garden in a small space and get easily bored, something I know happens to me, even though you can, you may not want to keep a perennial or shrub for next year. There is no reason perennials cannot be treated the same. We think nothing of growing these "annuals" for one season, discarding them into the compost pile and then buying them new again next year. They are perennial in southern California but certainly an annual for me here in the Midwest. After all, many plants that we grow as annuals in colder climates are perennials in warm winter climates, for instance marguerite daisies. While many people treat perennials and shrubs planted in containers as annuals, discarding them at the end of the season, there are people who would like to overwinter these plants for use again the next year.įirst, let me say there is nothing wrong with growing perennials or shrubs in pots and then discarding them at the end of the season. What to Do With Potted Plants at the End of the Season I really enjoy the added options and interesting mixes you get by using perennials and shrubs in this manner. In recent years growing perennials and shrubs in pots, plants previously reserved mainly for in-ground plantings, has become increasingly popular.
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