Laura, I normally pot small clematis up in one gallon pots and plant them out in the garden when I see evidence of roots coming out of the bottom of the pots. I also have planted quart sized plants from Brushwood directly into the ground. Again I use root mass size to determine if the plants are large enough to plant out. If the plant slips out of its pot and the rootball is big enough to hold most of the soil together, it is generally big enough to plant in the garden. If you are squeamish about attempting this, just look for roots coming out of the bottom of the pot. One thing to consider however is that top growth does not necessarily correlate with root development. I would much rather have a potted up clematis concentrate its energy on developing a strong root system than putting out top growth. If the clematis were mine and I had potted them up to grow out, I would be pinching back the top growth to allow the dormant axillary buds to come into play and develop a multibranching vine rather than having a single 4 foot long vine. I would not attempt to overwinter clematis in a garage unless they were seedlings. You are much better off finding a well draining spot in your garden, digging a hole, and planting the clematis still in its pot directly into the hole. I have done this two years now and have had the clematis survive just fine. Planting them that way even now will help in maintaining soil moisture in the pot since the soil will help insulate the pot.

Have you put your roses out yet Carol? I don't have any tried and true advice since I've never done that but I wonder if you could put them nearer the garage door so they could get some sun during the day. Otherwise I'd sure cover them if they were out over night. I got a potted rose for Easter and will start putting it out in a week or 2 during the day and bring it in at night until June. Have never bothered to try to get one of these miniature roses to survive very long but thought I'd try it.

Oh no! ThatÂs terrible! Garden Pleasure, too. ThatÂs one IÂve wanted so I know how beautiful it is. When you bought at Van Engelen: was it their fall sale (which always comes too late for me) or their regular catalog? The fall sale stuff they ship right away. I bought in fall once and it was really too late for me to plant: they arrived mid-November and I had to plant them temporarily in a holding bed. Then in spring I had to move them. Some did not make it (Album and some rubrum) so I called and they gave me credit for them, which I used in regular season. Since then, I have looked at their fall sale offerings but never bought because it was really too late for my zone. They give half credit, but itÂs better than nothing. But if it was NOT the sale, there was no way they should have shipped so late. I would definitely make a fuss and insist on replacementÂto arrive at the RIGHT time.

nice setup in the pic ... i would leave it open during the day.. and almost close it at night ... you dont mention sun exposure... you leave it open so they stay dormant .. and heat doesnt accumulate on sunny days starting active growth too early ...... and leave it propped open ... at night.. so they start getting acclimated to local night temps ...... its the actual the direct contact of a freeze that does the damage ... so if you leave it open a bit.. they get the hardening off from the cold.. but the top keeps the freeze off the tissue directly ... and if the forecast is horrid.. you can just close it for the night ... in our zones.. there is a big difference between a frost and a freeze ... always keep that in mind ... frost should be not much of a big deal on zone appropriate dormant stock ... its when they put out soft new growth.. where a frost/freeze might harm the new growth ... imo.. the trick is get them dormant.. and keep them dormant until the proper local time.. so they bud out at a time appropriate to your garden .... and though we all have the fever... moving slo is never a down side ... why were they not just planted in fall??? after a week in the 40s and 50s.. we got snow last night .. imo .. snow is not an issue ... its just water .. bit of a coffee buzz ... hope it makes sense to you .. lol ... ken