Out
On A Limb / November 2006
Going to Pot for Winter
It’s hard to say goodbye to the big, beautiful container plants that provided so much showy pleasure during their blooming season. Many gardeners try to prolong the pleasure by saving their beauties from year to year. The challenge with containers is that plant roots are above ground where they are subject to damagingly cold temperatures
There are a few options for overwintering large, hardy plants in containers, which are usually left outside. The Ohio University Extension Office suggests using a soil thermometer to monitor winter temperatures, making sure soil temperatures do not fall below freezing. If they do, containers should be moved to a garage or shed temporarily for added protection.
Other plants, like favorite perennials, ornamental grasses, roses or bulbs in smaller pots can be placed in a trench in the ground and covered with mulch or soil to protect the root systems. They should be watered well into late fall before covering. Since winter temperatures can cause clay pots to crack, gardeners may want to remove the plant from the pot and place the root ball into the trench. If trenching isn’t an option, another suggestion is to group pots together, water them well, and then cover them all with a thick layer of straw, compost, mulch or leaves to protect the root systems against freezing.
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