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Need overwintering help for shrubs in pots

rehabbingisgreen

12 years ago

I have about 10 plants still in pots and need to overwinter them because I am unable to plant till next spring. I have Holly, red twig dogwood,lilac, cl. hydrangea, pyracantha, sand cherry. I don't have a garage or shed and am not sure how best to overwinter them. We do get quite cold int he winter I'm in NW Missouri. Appreciate any suggestions! We had two trees that were supposed to be removed for the planting areas and that didn't happen so I just can't plant yet.

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Comments (5)

Embothrium
12 years ago
Bunch them together in the most sheltered area available and put bark, sand or sawdust between and around the pots, to provide insulation.
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
12 years ago
first .... if you have good draining soil ... simply sink pots and all in one hole ... and loosely backfill ...

the key is .. GET THEM DORMANT ... AND KEEP THEM DORMANT ... [wish i had a dime for each time i typed that in the last few weeks ...]

if zone appropriate... temps are not important ...

NO SUN ON POTS... they can easily thaw roots.. which then refreeze ... etc.. more than once.. and the plant will die ...

and it wouldnt hurt to keep the plant out of blistering winter winds ...

can do any of the following:

north side of the house .... once frozen.. tip on side.. this avoids sun on pots.. and tipping in late dec avoids water accumulating in frozen soil ...

buy 3 bales of straw.. and place against house.. and circle with bales... reduces wind ... and sun on pot

or.. as above... dig hole in veggie garden.. and sink pots and all.. presuming you do NOT have clay soil ...

review the KEY ... and you will succeed.. no matter which option you take ...

it might be a great time to give them a thorough soaking ....

ken
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I have overwintered shrubs including seedlings of buddleia in 4 inch pots and larger by sinking the pot in the ground and mulching well. Since it is spring/summer you can expect growth so potting up is a good idea if you decide to wait until fall to plant in the ground. I keep pots on my back patio or sink them in the ground for the summer. Those in the ground need less attention and are still easy to pull out to plant when I find them a spot or the weather is right. Sometimes they spend more than one year in that holding area still in the pot. Maybe that holds them back but they grow well once planted in the ground.
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Stop fertilizing now but keep watering them. Right before the petals fall, remove them manually but do not cut the spent blooms. This will help the plants go dormant. Do you have an unheated attached garage or another unheated space where the temps can be around 32 - 38F during the winter? After a few days of hard frosts but not freezes, water the pots well and then remove the foliage. In my climate this happens in early to mid November, but it will be sooner for you. Then slip the pots inside large black plastic garage bags. Do not tie the bags shut, just fold the open ends over - the roses need air. Prop the bagged roses up off a cold cement floor, especially if you will using your garage. I place mine on wooden boards. If you use your garage, place the bagged roses as far away from the large door as you can. I've spent the past 2 winters as a snow bird in Florida for 3 months each year and the roses came thru those winters without watering. The plastic bags help keep the potting mix just moist. I have mostly tender old teas and chinas in pots but I do have a couple minis in containers including Sweet Chariot in a hanging basket. :-)
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Smivies (Ontario - 5b)
12 years ago
I agree, in zone 5, 'digging them in' as per Ken's instructions while more work is almost always successful.

The above ground insulating method has a spotty success in my zone for just about everything.
rehabbingisgreen
Original Author
12 years ago
Thanks for all the great info. ok am searching out an area that will work. I'm trying to find less sun but not so windy. The south side of the house would be a better protected area from the bitter cold but it gets sun in the winter. I have tons of leaves I can use to cover the pots. I don't really have an area to dig to put all the pots in. I have a few days to find a good spot so I am looking.
NHBabs z4b-5a NH
12 years ago
I have better luck with mulching above ground than burying the pots as drainage is better. If you use the leaves, bag them while dry and use the bags; otherwise the leaves will pack down. Cold is fine for them - you want to avoid freeze thaw cycles, so keeping them out of the winter sun is most important.

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