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overwintering young potted trees

7 years ago

I have some almost-yearling trees that were supposed to go in the ground last month, but due to construction delays, won't be able to be planted until feb/march.

Once all the leaves have dropped, can they be overwintered in an unheated garage (no sun)? I'd have them back out mid-late Feb.

South texas, trees are oaks and maples.

Comments (8)

andy99mich
7 years ago
Overwintering in an unheated garage as you said will work fine. Just be sure to water well before placing in the shed. If you wish to leave it outside, just mound 5-6 inches of mulch on the pot and leave outside. Best wishes :).
Toronado3800 Zone 6 St Louis
7 years ago
I leave pots outside in the winter in a somewhat sheltered area. We get decent precipitation but I am not above watering if it is warm and dry for an extended time. In a garage in a warm climate you would be responsible for 100% the water they need.
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Lou, I have often seen it suggested that the watering of the soil needs to be done a day or two prior to the freeze; that way the soil has a chance to absorb moisture but drain off enough to prevent a soggy condition that will create ice forming in the soil or in contact with the roots. Yes dry conditions are hard on plants and trees when they are encountering freezing temps, but the freezing time is not the best time to water: that is unless your soil temps are remaining well above freezing and if the soil also drains so well that there is not a risk of the water to freeze within the soil around the roots. Are you able to cover your containers and protect them from the coldest overnight temps; or even move them into the garage or other protected area where you could water them without the threat of the water freezing before the soil could become moistened from absorbing well the water. One other thing to consider is, are the items in your pots dormant already before the freeze hit, if not, do not water them, because the water your items take up; especially if the sap is still abundant in the trunks. These will generally experience the same conseqences of pipes which are frozen in a home. Once those frozen pipes are thawed too quickly they burst. Same thing happens to the trunks of young non-dormant trees and shrubs which freeze; sap expands quickly and breaks through the cell walls in the young trunks or stems. The plant taking up water just prior to freezing worsens this affect. Our local nurseries often encounter this problem in the early spring if temps have risen enough to encourage breaking of dormancy, and then often a sudden late freeze follows so quickly that the tree or shrub does not get the right amount of time and environment to once again drop it's sap's upward flow. Some local nurseries in my area have often lost many potted plant, trees and shrubs at such times.
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I had a weigela that survived in a pot all winter but it was not intentional to leave it unplanted, just didn't get around to doing it during the gardening season! I think you can wrap things up and put them in your garage. I seriously wouldn't bother with plants that are totally outside our zone, seems like an uphill battle full of potential casualties. Ask me how I know, lol. Glad you are enjoying the city. This post was edited by Donna.in.Sask on Mon, May 19, 14 at 15:33
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davidrt28 (zone 7)
7 years ago
last modified: 7 years ago
Up here a garage makes sense in winter for a lot of plants, down in TX I think the garage will get too warm on sunny days (which is most of them in winter) and coax them into early growth. Better to leave them in the coolest, shadiest place you can find outside where, as Tornado points out, you will be less likely to need water them.

In my garage, even in winter, I still need to water deciduous stuff about once a month because the dry air sucks moisture out of the soil. They don't need a lot of water of course, but you don't want it to get bone dry. Evergreens actively transpire...camellias are the worse. Sometimes needing water more than once a week if it gets really cold and dry. (the garage is kept at or near 32F minimum, barring insulating malfunctions) It doesn't help that Camellia Forest uses a very friable bark based mix that doesn't hold much water. Makes you appreciate why they need strong root systems in marginal climates, and why I've lost plants like 'Red Jade' even at temps above 0F if they were in spots with winter morning sun. It just dries them right out.
cecily
7 years ago
Is there a spot where you could plant the whole pot rather than having them sitting above ground?
Renee Texas
Original Author
7 years ago
We are in a rental until the house is done, and it needs extensive grading...as those things go, we're looking at Feb! I'm afraid of the squirrels eating them here- they are already digging in the pots- so I think I'll try the garage, and keep an eye on moisture. I can put them near the front...this house was built in the 60's, and the garage certainly has some daylight around the edges, haha, so it will stay pretty cold. I'll watch their water. Thank you for all the advice! I wasn't sure weather it was an idea even worth entertaining.
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
7 years ago
what kind of trees??.. might matter ...

i think you are trying to love them up a bit much ... and that can lead to more problems than not doing it .....

and you seem to be mixing a squirrel issue with a winter issue ...

there is no reason they should go in a structure ... in what you might call winter .. lol ... unless they are some exotic tropicals ...

its hard to give advice about squirrels... not knowing tree nor pot size ...

even in my MI ... where we have real winter ... i have had better luck with trees in pots.. in full winter shade ...[dont want the pots themselves to heat in sun]... rather than messing with them in the barn ... the worse being.. they come out of dormancy too early ...

more info please ..

ken
gyr_falcon
7 years ago
ken, it states in the OP that the trees are oaks and maples.
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
7 years ago
blimey ... i was so excited they gave location.. i didnt finish the rest of the sentence.. lol ...

neither are foo foo trees... i wouldnt be too worried about them ... and overdo it.. in any direction ....

ken

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