European Beech is marginal here in MN Zone 4. I wouldn't leave them outside in a pot in zone 5 Chicagoland for the winter.

in ground freeze areas .. and CHI is as far as i know ... part of the problem is the pot freezing solid .. and water accumulating in the pots and freezing it into an ice cube.. roots need air as much as water .. and ice is not air ...

there is also the excess water in spring thaw times.. when the pot can freeze and thaw repeatedly in march and april with rain and snow in between ... dormant trees just dont need all that much water .. and standing in a sodden pot is not good ...

then there is the issue of the freeze drying winter winds from the NW ... which can lead to tissue damage ... even on dormant deciduous trees ..

a lot of problematic winter variables to address ... beyond simple zone ...

a dormant leafless tree does not need sunlight.. so a garage would work ... but there it can get too dry .. so once a month put a couple snowballs or ice cubes on the pot.. to give it just a LITTLE bit of water.. so the media doesnt go bone dry in winter .. do not use a watering can ...

and keep in mind .. the most important thing in the pot is the media.. not the plant ... trees do not like the usual high water holding peat mediums that are commonly sold ... you start with that.. and add other things... to increase drainage.. aka.. air int he pot ....

the last issue with a garage.. is that it can be 1 to 3 zones warmer than outside.. and your plant make leaf out months before normal ... and then you will have a light issue as leaves need sun.. but you cant leave it outside until all chance of frost or freeze is gone.. which is probably around mid may for you .. btw.. i am basically due est of you just below ann arbor ... so very similar clime ...

both are rather aggressive growers. once they get going.. if you want them long term in a pots.. you will basically have to learn how to bonsai the roots systems ... to keep them in check ... nbd ... but these wouldnt be plant and forget potted TREES ...

which makes me wonder what the application is.. and what if you explained WHY .. so we might offer other suggestions ...

ken

ps: at first i thought this was a balcony/roof top thing.... but then wondered why you have a garage on the roof .. so i presume this is not an up in the air project ... a little clarification on such might help ..

Ken,

The application is for our backyard. Since the pandemic I have been working at home more often and more specifically on our patio whenever temperatures allow. This has revealed the lack of privacy separation between our and our neighbor's backyard. One of the main areas I want to create more separation involves where I sit. It is viewable from a portion of our fence where the neighbor tends to hang out while their dog and our dog meet. While I enjoy their dog, I don't enjoy someone standing there able to view into my little outdoor work area across the patio. Here is a picture.

I am planning to convert all the planters in the spring to Al's Gritty Mix. The four plants in the middle are 4ever Goldie arborvitae (Zn 3), gold tip fernspray hinoki chamaecyparis (Zn 4), chamaecyparis pisifera baby blue (Zn 4), and fire chief arborvitae (Zn 2).

The goal is to keep adding depth to the privacy screen. I would love to hear about other plants/trees that could survive and serve this purpose.

Thank you.

Keep the ’Baby Blue’ in the shade in winter to slow browning. Have you considered things like canna lilies since the screening is seasonal?

tj

i like that idea junkie... can grow 6 to 8 feet in one season ... and tubers multiply.. but they need winter protection in the basement in our area ...

i figured OP must have some experience.. with the name an all ... lol ...

the plants you have now.. thought trees.. are relatively very slow growing.. can be in those pots for a very long time ... but the trees will be a new game ... not only taking a few years to mature the root mass to start growing to height.. but once they do.. it will be a challenge to keep them in pots ...

do you not have any lawn to work in between you and the fence???

sounds like a decent neighbor ... but an old school one who wants to chat every time they see you ... i understand the conundrum ... if just like.. 50% of the time they just said hey.. and ignored you.. you probably wouldnt have a problem.. i suppose ...

any interest in giving us pix of the yard to the fence ??? ..probably one large shrub out there would solve the whole problem ..

ken

Canna lilies seem hardy only to Zone 7. Are you saying plant as annuals?

Re: portion of yard between patio and fence: There is an area of lawn and I am considering planting a few emerald green arborvitae that will probably do the trick. But I am still interested in hardy trees that can stay in their planters. No one thing addresses all angles, but more things address more angles.

Cannas are easy to store. Cut down once the foliage is killed by frost, lift the tubers (I let them dry for a day and knock the soil off), throw them in a box and store in the basement.

tj

^____ I've done that same thing many times. :-)

My Houzz name chamaegardener is like chamaecyparis. We look like the thing, but really aren't.

Here is a pic of the area I want to screen from the persective of the fence. To the left of where I am standing is a green giant arborvitae and to the right is a fargesia nitida bamboo. The four potted trees on the patio do a decent job, but are limited to screening my one seat. I get the impression from the responses though that adding trees in containers on the patio is not a great option due to cold and roots.

I am considering adding two emerald green arborvitaes about two feet off the curved wall, which may do the job.

So, that last pic is the view your neighbor has? If so, how about a pick from the patio showing where the neighbor stands.

tj

Yes the last one was view neighbor has. This is view toward where neighbor stands.