Can I put them in pots overwinter in my zone?

13 years ago

I know some of you southerners can keep daylilies fairly happy in pots. I'm wondering if in my zone I would have success. I'm in northern NJ zone 6b, I believe.

So, I'm assuming I would need to use potting soil, not top soil. Any other requirements I should know?

So far, I've never lost a daylily so I'm reluctant to risk it with it being subjected to freezing/thawing throughout the winter months.

Thanks!

Natanya

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Comments (8)

shive
13 years ago
If you don't have to overwinter in pots, don't. I wouldn't try it with anything except dormants where you are. I lose some every winter in pots, especially with wet or extremely cold winters. Very few evergreens will survive a wet winter in a pot, in my experience. And it's dicey with semievergreens.

Debra
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njmomma
Original Author
13 years ago
Good to know. I had a feeling it wasn't the best idea. OK, need to enlarge the beds now.
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Containers of hardy plants generally do not require much in the way of special protection over the winter in a zone as mild as 7. There are some exceptions - plants which may prefer very dry soil conditions might fair better if protected from the worst of the rains, etc. But clematis, hostas and other hardy perennials, trees and shrubs can be left out through the winter in a zone 7, provided the container is of sufficient size. If your garage is unheated, then the plants can go back outside now. No need to to do this gradually unless the garage temps have been consistantly above 50F. If a sharp frost or sudden cold spell is predicted, then cover the pots at night. Grouping them together will also afford some additional protection. My nursery is located in a zone 7b and operates all year long. Containerized hardy plants are left outside all year as well, including those as small as gallon sized perennials and 4" groundcovers. Winter damage is minimal and is usually associated with too much wet/too moisture retentive a container soil rather than cold damage. Wholesalers in the area also grow their containerized crops outdoors all winter as well.
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whats in the pots??? soil/dirt .. or potting soil? if you have multiples.. i suggest you try a variety of methods, rather than investing in one method.. which may or may not work .... in other words.. experiment ... i only have experience in sinking pots with native soil ... sand.. which is never a drainage issue ... i see the following issues: drainage wetness at the roots heave of the pots timing sunlight on dark pots and i am sure more than that ... i know a hosta guy who has hosta seedlings in trays .... of course shorter than your stock ... he simply pulls a cover over railroad ties.. with chicken wire for rodents.. and plenty of rodent bait ... you might try some bails of straw .... around a group of pots .... and then some lose [key word] straw around the pots to protect from sunlight ... this will reduce wind.. and sun ... anything that is heavy is not recommended .. like un-shredded leaves .. light and airy is the idea ... good luck ... and as noted.. do NOT put ALL YOUR MARBLES IN ONE BUCKET ... ken
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I think that the Hydrangeas that I overwinter do best if they're allowed to get very cold and very dormant during the winter. The times I put them into a too warm place they don't do as well. And they always want to send out flowers long before I'm ready. It's a funny sight to go down to a cellar and see this plant with white, bleached out foliage and flower in the late winter. It still will do OK, but not the best. I've always thought it must be the equivalent of keeping me up all night. I look pretty OK, but I'm not really OK. I'd keep them outside as long as I could and then try to find a place that was very very cold. I end up keeping mine all outside under cover of some sort. That's always worked best for me. If I have plants inside a cellar, say, I water very sparingly. Very. Hay
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No, not the peat or paper degradable pots thought I wish I could find those locally. They are in typical planter pots between 2 and 3 gallon sized, with the bigger roses in the bigger pots. There are 2 Harlow Carr that were shipped bareroot with bigger but trimmed roots so nothing to hold the soil yet. The Spring Hill Rainbow sale collection of 5, again shipped bareroot and no little roots yet- Pumpkin Patch Ch-Ching Cupid's Kiss Violet's Pride Take it Easy. The remaining ones were body bags I picked up on clearance and those had longer more developed roots with little white rootlets staring, enough to hold on to the body bag material quite well, which I soaked off gently. Those are: Cl America Therese Bugnet CL Don Juan 2 Knockouts. I used a mixture of potting soils: MG and Dr Earth Organic. Normally I would mix in some native soil when putting in a pot to eventually go in the ground, but I'm on red clay soil now and when it's wet one can forget working with it in any way, shape, or form. I have gardened in clay and shale before so at least that is nothing new. Anyway, I'm afraid if I try to plant them too soon there will be no/not enough little roots to hold any root ball and the stress might be too much for them. Moses, do you mind if I ask what general area of PA you are? Though I'm not from PA originally, I recently moved from Western PA. Thankfully I was able to pot up a good amount of plants, roses, and fruit trees to bring down with me. It's been quite an adjustment to gardening down here but my Zephy Drouhins were so happy they stayed green and in leaf all winter, however now I need to be mindful of the heat and humidity all summer long. Up there I felt comfortable potting something in late April or May and putting it in the ground in July, but here I'm just not sure. Thank you Seil, it's comforting to know that if there is good root development they will handle the heat ok at the time of planting.
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pamghatten
13 years ago
I agree .. I haven't heard too many people are successful overwintering in pots ... better safe than sorry.
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chrissy_ns
13 years ago
I have overwintered daylilies in pots. I sink the pots up to the top of the rim in my vegetable garden. I am in zone 5 and have not lost any by doing that. If I buy plants in September it is too late to put them in the ground. If they not in pots when I get them I will put them in pots until the spring. I will then plant them in the garden.
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mizellie
13 years ago
I over winter in pot frequently but I am a 7a so it's not as cold here. We still get 10 degree temps though and I haven't lost any in pots. However, I use very large pots, 5 and 10 gal. Those I usually leave the cv's in all the time.. Ellie
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chrisinerie
13 years ago
I live in 6a and have overwintered daylilies in large pots outside for several years. I surround the pots with bags of leaves in a sheltered corner. Small pots go into the garage. The only plants I lose are ones that small rodents get into in the garage. I think most of my plants are dormant types.

Chris
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Cindy zone 6a
13 years ago
I have always overwintered pots here in zone 5, northeast Ohio. I have very large pots, water them in well, wait for a few freezes then I put them in a utility room that I have attached to my house, sorta like a garage however, it has a heated room over it, so the utility room stays at an even temp, cold, but not freezing. It's where Bowie stays if the winter weather gets too cold or snowy for him.
I have all types of daylilies in pots, mostly my NOIDS, and have never lost one.
cindy
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bloominghaus7/LI/NY
13 years ago
I Live on Long Island, NY, and I have been winterizing in pots for years and years. I just put them "close" to the house (for heat) and the most protected areas ... all is fine! PS: Try to get them settled in the pots before September so they are established. Most of mine are dorments that are in the many pots. Andrea
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Can I put them in pots overwinter in my zone?

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shive

njmomma
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Can I put them in pots overwinter in my zone?

Comments (8)

shive

njmommaOriginal Author

Related Discussions

pamghatten

chrissy_ns

mizellie

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Cindy zone 6a

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njmomma
Original Author