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Will potted clems overwinter outside here?

18 years ago

This spring I planted a President and a Pink Champagne (I think I'm remembering that correctly) each in their own pot (20 qt trash cans) to go into an arbor with attached square wooden "pot holders" on the ground on either side. Between the wood frame and the trash cans, I put bubble wrap and then lots of mulch. They've been fine all through this year's dry, sweltering summer, both blooming and growing tall. I'm hoping I can leave them where they are over the winter--they're next to the garage, so slightly protected from wind on two sides. I'll remulch the top since the mulch sank a little, but what do you think? I'm zone 7, and hoping! (There's also a chocolate vine in each pot, and they're doing REALLY well. Should I separate them before they crowd each other out?)

Thanks! Nancy

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Comments (2)

nckvilledudes
18 years ago
Nancy, as far as hardiness goes, the clematis should be fine. The large sized trash cans (which I hope have drainage holes--must have since the plants have been doing fine so far) should provide plenty of soil mass for allowing them to make it through the winter alive. During extremely cold winters, you might get dieback on some or all of the top mature vines which might delay their bloom period the following spring but that shouldn't be a problem in your zone.

If you mean by chocolate vine, that you have akebia planted in the same trash cans with the clematis, I would promptly remove the akebia. They can get quite large and their root systems will occupy most of the trash can eventually. Not a good thing for the clematis. If you don't mean akebia, could you give more information on what the chocolate vine is?
njcbrand
Original Author
18 years ago
The chocolate vine is a Victorian garden plant, has leaves like a Virginia creeper but supposedly flowers with deep maroonish-brown flowers (haven't seen an yet). Yes, did put in drainage holes--wore out a drill bit, actually.
It does grow very vigorously--my mom has some and that's why I wanted it! I'll leave a clematis on one side, an akebia on the other, so each has their own can, then put the others somewhere else....
Thanks!
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I haven't "planted" it in anything yet....I was just trying to figure out what to do with it so that it would be perennial in my zone without having it spread all over my gardens. If there is a way of containing it out in a garden, that would be fine, but sounds too invasive! I just know that last year we planted a buddlea in a metal cow trough. It was supposed to survive zone 5a, but it died. I read later that putting things in containers makes them LESS hardy (better in the ground!). Maybe I should keep a pot in the unheated garage over the winter & just water it once in awhile, like I do my agastache?):0) Phyl
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