Hi Tricia,

I guess I'll take a stab at this one, although I'm not sure if you and I are talking about exactly the same thing.

I've overwintered approximately 200 pots per year the last few years, of varying sizes. Some are two-inch pots with tiny plants in them, others are 22-inch pots with roses. These are not all necessarily permanent - some are, and some are just plants I haven't gotten into the ground yet. I drag them into my garage when they go dormant (which was about three days ago this year, lol!!) and then bring them out in spring. I make sure they are well-watered before going in the garage, and then usually throw a shovel-full of snow or some water on them mid-way through the winter. Since I literally pulled them in the garage last Friday, and they were very well-watered from rain, I may be able to skip watering them again until they come out.

I also cover my garage windows with black fabric to help maintain dormancy.

Since they go into the garage, I can use terracotta. I happen to use mostly plastic (price and weight factors) and I do have some resin/foam pots, which I don't care for too much. They look gorgeous (at first) but I find them to be very fragile. Put a trowel in at the wrong angle and bam! big hole/rip/gouge.

Now, if you are talking about having pots *outside* in winter, I don't have as much experience with that.

The winter before last, I decided I wanted some winter color out back - my 16 x 21 foot brick patio is surrounded by about a 30x30 square of asphalt and the driveway, so it ain't pretty back there! Anyway, I went to a reputable nursery and asked some advice. I came home with a yucca Gold Sword and a juniper Blue...Star??? And I also put out a cornus alba Ivory Halo which I hadn't gotten into the ground yet. All were in large (22-inch??) plastic pots.

These looked great all winter and provided nice color. For some reason, it wasn't until late spring that the juniper and the yucca bit the dust. The yucca, which had held up so wonderfully during the cold and had such lovely color, turned to mush, and the juniper got (I think) spider mites. The cornus never batted an eyelash. Came through with flying colors.

The outdoor pots I did not water - just let Mother Nature do it. I think if I had not been so neglectful come spring, I could have brought the yucca and juniper through. I intend on trying again (not necessarily with those plants, but with something for outside potted winter interest), but just didn't get around to it this winter.

Hope this helps somewhat.

:)
Dee

The theory is that one zone less than your zone should work, but it probably wouldn't hurt going 2 zones lower.

I suspect that Dee's problem with the late spring deaths could be due to the rootball still being frozen but the warmer temps and higher sun is making the roots want water that they can't get at. Thats the issue behind in-ground evergreens getting winter kill. Or it could have been drainage issues. Hard to say.

I grew Rhamnus 'Fine Line' in a container for 2 winters. It was fine (no pun intended). But it was outgrowing the pot and I needed to get it in the ground. And it was deciduous, Z3 I think. I didn't grow it in the container for winter interest.

I see a lot of evergreens in pots in the winter on front door steps, but i think it can be risky. I use pine tree boughs and dogwood branches instead.

Hi Tricia..

I was hoping to do the same thing. I did get a link from someone along the way and it was very helpful. Link below.

Hope that helps...
:-)

Here is a link that might be useful: Planting Permanent Pots

I use a very large styrofoam pot (designed to resemble terracotta) for a highbush blueberry plant, and have successfullly overwintered it outside for about five years now. It's never been in the ground.

That was a good article on pots. They did't mention zone, but I think Rehoboth MA is 6-7 so their suggestions should be fine for CT.