Have you had perennials in containers that you need to overwinter outside? This Gurnee and Canada video looks at how to overwinter perennial plants outdoors in Canada. This will allow you to overwinter containers in zone three, zone for, zone, five and anywhere else it freezes.

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Ashley is a soil scientist who has had a passion for plants since she was a small child. In the long summers as a child, she would garden alongside her grandmother and it was then that she realized her love for greenery. With years of great studying, Ashley had begun her p
ost-secondary education at the University of Saskatchewan.
At first, her second love, animals, was the career path she chose but while doing her undergrad she realized that her education would take her elsewhere. And with that, four years later she graduated from the University of Saskatchewan with a bachelor’s degree in science and a major in Soil Science.
Some of Ashley’s interests are YouTube, in which she posts informative videos about plants and gardening. The focus of Ashley’s YouTube channel is to bring science to gardening in a way that is informative but also helpful to others learning to garden. She also talks about the importance of having your own garden and the joys of gardening indoors. Ashley continues to study plants in her free time and hopes to expand her YouTube channel as well as her reach to up-and-coming gardeners.
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20 Comments
I am trying to overwinter a container blueberry plant in Guelph, ON (Canadian zone 5). Last year I moved it out of its ceramic pot, placed it in a plastic pot, and buried that in the garden. In the spring I put it back into the ceramic pot. It survived, but I want to try to keep it in its pot in my unheated shed this year. Is this a good idea?
My condolences for your losses. May they Rest In Peace 🕊
My heart aches for you Ashley. I'm very sorry for your losses 😞. I too lost my mom, so, although the past year is mostly a blur for me, gardening was one thing that helped me slow down, think, or not think, as needed, and my plants didn't mind my tears or ask if I was okay.
About 4 years ago I bought a potted everbearing strawberry plant. Each winter I have planted the pot. I cover it with leaves and spruce boughs after it gets cold. I dig it up around my last spring frost date, hose off the pot and put it wherever I want it that year. That one $5- 3" plant has grown into 3 larger pots (12") with multiple plants in each. I had a lot of strawberries this year and 1 pot was still in bloom when I planted it earlier this week. Also, every year I start pots of herbs from seed for my outdoor kitchen area. I've never been able to get them to survive indoors during the winter, so this year I decided to experiment with planting those pots in the garden as well. I will do the same with them that I do with my strawberries and hopefully I'll have chives, garlic chives, parsley and thyme ready early for BBQ season. I'm in zone 6, near Oshawa, Ontario.
Take time to do what YOU need to do to heal. ❤
I am so sorry for your losses Ashley. Sending you Love and hugs❤❤❤
Shiiiit! Fingers crossed my growing season never ends 😂 houston on fire with it right now, probably got 3 more months
I have a hydrangea tree that is for my zone but is still in a black plastic pot. I am in zone 5b where we can get a harsh winter. Is this plant ok outside sitting on dirt next to my garage? If i have to bring it in how much should i water it?
I also garden in Saskatoon. About 15 years ago, I planted three varieties of black currants which grew very well and produced berries every year. However, each and every berry had a "worm" (larva) in it, so after 2 summers, I dug out those bushes. I picked black currants at a U-Pick near town where I found the berries were free of worms. Maybe the ground temperature in winter there was lower than in our yard; cold enough to kill the insect pest.
I am overwintering a bell pepper. I will report in the spring. So far, so good! Your other video about this was helpful.
Zone 5b. I have few plants stay in pots all year. Annabelle, boxwood, and Emerald Cedar. I only use frost cover. I only remove the cover once we get night temp above 9c.
I have wintered a variety of perennials over in pots using the group method. I tilt the pots to prevent water standing in the pots during spring which caused rots.
I've overwintered tons of perennials in small containers. Hostas for years, ferns, lilies, phlox, etc., etc. I'm pretty sure the garden centers overwinter every single plant every year, maybe covered but certainly not heated. No special care needed, I just forget about them for 6 months.
Sorry for your loss… 💗💗
Im so sorry for the loss of the important people in your life. I hope you can take comfort in the memories you share with them
I am very sorry for your loss. I’m glad you’re taking time to heal. .. I’m just overwintering new cuttings of hydrangeas and roses I started in August. I’ve buried them in their pots in the ground and when we get a hard frost . I’ll cover them 4 or 5 inches of leaves and then cover the leaves with a container so the leaves don’t blow away.
I am sorry for your pain doing to your family loss. — Ray Delbury Sussex County NJ USA
Sending my deepest sympathies for your losses this year. Xo
Ugh so sorry for all that loss at one time ❤
This is called ‘Healing In’. I dig a big whole into my compost pile, buddy everyone in tightly and cover up until everyone is covered at least 6 inches, or more( the smaller pots will be completely covered and thats ok). This can also be done in the ground or your raised bed. Just be sure to completely cover up and mulch if you don’t have enough dirt/soil. If you’re growing in Zone 3 or 4, perennial plants you’re healing will be the plants that will grow in your zone, so, don’t worry, it will work. I have healed in everything from Peach trees, birch trees to hydrangeas😊 Snow is your friend, and because you have a large layer of dirt and leaves, your plants won’t be getting the light to signal growth, so this also helps with ‘ Chinooking’ ; )
Thank you for sharing your knowledge. The burying the pots method works like a charm. I'm sorry for your loss, so much in such a short time.
Thank you for the tips.
This Fall I chose perennials specific to my zone, 8b.
I planted them in pots that are much too heavy for me to move. They are in a “protected” area of my garden between the back of my garage a fence behind them and a fence opposite my garage, plus it’s lower than the rest of my yard.
I mulched very heavily and put buckets over them during very cold nights and or cold windy weather.
I’ll have to wait and see if I’m successful or not.
I think they will be okay as I don’t get extremely cold weather for any extended periods of time.
At this time they still have their foliage, I’ll keep checking them and cut them back after the foliage goes dormant, then mulch some more.
Here’s to hoping for the best. 🙏