I’ve realized that I have a significant blind spot in my Native Plant knowledge… i don’t typically have plants un-planted at the end of the season. This year, I know I will not get these planted before freezes, snow, etc. (pictured: me bringing them in for the first frost warning nights of the year, due to my uncertainty)
I know that plants naturally are “designed” to over-winter in dirt (duh), but is it different in pots? Do I just leave them all out over winter? What about the small seedlings, which would in nature be bigger by this time of year?
I do not have access to a greenhouse, but I do have a limited space indoors with grow lights. Should I try to bring the smaller seedlings in, and leave the year-old plants outside? Are there species or types that are better suited to it? I’m located in western MD btw
Lots of questions obviously, but any advice or education is appreciated!
by CaptainFacePunch
20 Comments
Pots are likely to get colder than the ground. If it were me I’d put them in a container; kiddy pool, plastic bin, even cardboard box that’s not too tall. Then mulch around them really well, and maybe cover with a frost cloth that still lets in sunlight on really cold days.
I bury them (pot and all) in my raised bed, and dig them up in spring. I also throw a ton of leaves over the raised bed. This has been very successful for me, but another option is just leave them in an unheated garage.
I have the same issue and am planning on moving them to my pile of mulch, and burying them after they have died back. I’m considering putting a layer of fabric in between them and the mulch to make them less annoying to excavate in the spring.
Cold frame
I bury them, pot and all
I put them in my garage. It’s cool enough to not dry them out or mess with dormancy cycles (when it’s not based on photoperiod) but warm enough that I don’t have to worry about the roots freezing to death.
I have a similar situation. The options are to let them go dormant for the winter and 1) overwinter in an unheated garage, checking them regularly and making sure they do not dry out, 2) bury the pots in the ground to pull out in spring for planting, or 3) group them close together outside somewhere out of the way, surround the pots with wood chips or mulch for insulation.
I know someone who grows native plants for sale in her backyard and she overwinters them outside using method 3. She said square pots crammed together do better overwintering, so you look to be in good shape for that. You may lose a few if it is a very very cold winter, but people are generally pretty successful overwintering native plants outdoors with something to insulate them. Snow will help insulate too. If any of the plants are not hardy to a couple zones colder than your area, you may want to overwinter those particular plants in the garage to be safe.
You could bury them in mulch. Throw something permeable over them like burlap and put them under mulch. I would wait until they go dormant, but before consistent freezing temps at night.
I do nothing. This isn’t an issue in warm climates.
Sell on Facebook and start a new batch if not planting this year.
Pots are what, 2 zones assume colder than the place you’re in.
My method this year is putting in a corner of the house outside, bundled together, the stake and wrap a check fence around the pots, and I will stuff full of downed maple leaves.
We’ll see if it works.
If possible just bury all your pots and cover with leaves.
Reading the rest of the comments this is apparently a contrarian take, but I… do nothing. Just leave them in their pots. They will be fine. My criteria for where and how I store them is “where will they not be in my way?”.
Some goes to the unheated greenhouse, some in the garage and the rest I huddle together an bury in a raised bed.
I put them in my vegetable garden. Potatoes come out, pots go in. Then I cover with leaves.
left outside with insulation between pots like mulch and covered on the coldest days
One of the perks of being in zone 8 is I rarely need to give potted plants much protection. Being next to the house is generally sufficient. If we get a particularly cold stretch where it doesn’t really get above freezing during the day, the garage is sufficient protection.
I typically bunch them together usually up against my fence and then cover with leaves. I’ve overwintered a ton of plants this way. I’ve lost a few, but most survive just fine.
I’ve mulched them in, but i’ve also just left them in their pots on bare soil with minimal losses. You can also create wind breaks for them, that is an important part of not letting their roots get too cold.
I pile leaves and/or woodchips around and on top of them to help insulate the roots from cold air. Roots are often less winter hardy than above ground parts. Also, make sure nothing evergreen–including basal leaves–is buried as this could potentially kill the plants.
I put them up against bushes, group them really close together, and kick some leaves up on them. If they are native to your city, they will survive the winter. What can happen is that the root ball can fully freeze. The ground will insulate and snow will insulate. Kicking leaves up around the sides of the pots keeps the roots insulated.