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Container Gardening

Tree/shrub that can be grown in container and left outside in winter?

7 years ago

Hello everyone! I have some large rectangular wooden planters and I would like to plant some dwarf flowering trees/shrubs (such as Crepe Myrtle?) in them to provide some color and privacy from my neighbors in the spring/summer months.

It would not be feasible to bring these planters inside for the winter (size, weight), so I am worried that whatever I plant would not be able to withstand the winter here in Northern Virginia (Zone 6b).

Does anyone have an recommendations, or is what I want to do simply not possible?

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Comments (5)

gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
7 years ago
It's certainly possible, although you may be restricted as to species and the size of the planters. Just how big are they? Dimensions please!
nysmith
Original Author
7 years ago
Hi gardengal48, they are 24 inches tall, 5 feet long, but only 10 inches wide.
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Wait... so does it, or does it not need that direct light and benefit of taking it outside- I don't know that's why I asked. Wouldn't be as concerned if it had been "raised" indoors and not accustomed to the direct sun. I've read people mention gradionally moving/ transitioning them indoors but I need further explanation of what that means ( back and forth?) and if it's too late to worry about that. Temps all week will be low of 49-55/ high 70-75 so since they were already outside all day today I decided to leave them outside now while I am out of town for 2 days hoping it will fend better in its natural environment even if the temp swings- obviously it's used to having to deal with the air temp swinging 15plus degrees into more extreme heat so again, just an executive decision in hopes it can handle what it's use to better than indoors which is totally foreign to it on all accounts. Please teach me/ advise me on all of this I would be devastated if they all dropped all of their leaves at this point but I can't find anything on the forums for climatizing FLF's esp in places where there are milder winters like we have.
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gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
7 years ago
Unfortunately, that width is probably going to limit you :-) The elevated nature of any above ground container exposes it to much colder temperatures than a plant would experience in the ground. Especially the roots, which are far more vulnerable to cold damage than the top growth with even very hardy plants. But the larger the soil mass around them, the greater the insulating factor, so with a large container in a moderately cold zone you can often get away with overwintering plants that would likely not survive in a smaller container.

Pretty much any tree or shrub you may choose will easily produce roots that fill up that 10" width, resulting in a root system that will very likely come into contact with the planter walls and therefore be exposed to excessively cold air temperatures. And root damage (resulting in plant death) can occur at temperatures as mild as the mid 20's, depending on species. And you are looking at the possibility of below zero air temps in zone 6 :-((

You might be able to risk it with the selection of some hardy dwarf conifers but they tend to be expensive to use in what is essentially a hardiness experiment at best. I wouldn't recommend any flowering shrub or tree except perhaps something like alpine currant, as the root system will simply get too large too fast. Unless you are inclined to toss money away on this experiment, I'd stick to seasonal plants. You can always stick in cut willow stems or redtwig dogwood stems together with cut conifer greens and hollies if you want some winter interest.
nysmith thanked gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
nysmith
Original Author
7 years ago
Thanks gardengal48, that's precisely what I feared. I appreciate your thoughts and advice - saves me from wasting money and killing plants! Perhaps I'll install a trellis in them and plant an annual flowering vine to achieve some height. I like your idea of using cut stems in the winter! Thank you!!
cecenj
7 years ago
One additional caution (though it sounds like you don't need any others :) As I found to my dismay with some container shrubs on my patio, winter winds that cause desiccation are also real killers, even in years where temps are moderate.

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