Watering dormant potted Perennials during the Winter?

I have small potted shrubs and perennials in pots outside that are dormant. I've come up with a puzzling question. Since they are in pots when its dry and windy the pot soil seems to dry out, and when its really cold the soil is frozen but gets light brown which usually means little to no moisture except the frozen ice in the soil. Am I supposed to water frozen soil in winter, if plants are dormant is dry soil normal? Mind you the ground usually has moisture, its because these are in pots I thought they need special care.

I will be watching for this answer-I also have been wondering about it.

I've kept perennials and shrubs in pots over winter and just let mother nature take it's course. I think the only special watering you would have to do is if they are under cover and never get any rain or snow. Just make sure come spring when it gets warm and they start up again they are well hydrated.

Here in WA we had a month of record lows at night- as low as 4 degrees, and I feel sure I will lose a lot of my perennials in containers. I had 6" pots of Penstemon and grasses that I had rooted late in the fall, so I may lose them all. I will give them plenty of time before declaring them dead, though. I put many hard hours getting them going. I also have a strawberry tower with 24 sections- being exposed to the freeze they may be gone too.. It has been a hard winter and it just got started!

Temp is supposed to go to 10 below here on Friday night.....this is after I planted a camellia.....I would pack the containers with snow if there is none to keep a slow watering to pot plants.....Bill (Wha) who kept Japanese maples in his garage during the winter, suggested doing that......

I have two 3 foot tall dwarf alberta spruces which are planted in large pots. One has been in the pot for 12 years and the other about 10 years. I water them spring summer and fall when they get dry and not at all during the winter.
One of them has an asiatic lily that has been in the pot with it for about 8 years and other than fighting off the dread lily leaf beetle in the spring, has coexisted happily and bloomed every year.
I have also had hosta winter over in pots and daylilies too. Usually there is enough snow and warmth/cold to give them what they need. I just planted up a wildflower pot in a large ceramic pot that we will see how it goes over the winter. It has been in the pot since about June. Also, I have had iris winter over in pots. The hosta, daylilies and iris all because I did not get to planting them when I should have.
I live in the Boston area and we get pretty cold winters.
Martha

Ok, so it seems I should let them be the rain or snow should be enough moisture.

I agree with Ronnie and leave it to Mother Nature. If I had any in the garage I think Bill (wha) has a good idea there with using snow for them.

There is always an exception though. My four foot tall Alberta Spruce and some zone 7 plants in pots are in a somewhat protected area in front of my door because the roof projects pretty far. They do need to be watered which I do whenever there is a thaw to 40 degrees. Five camellia plants are sitting in my garage, and I do water them whenever they look peaked or very dry but not every week. I like wha's idea about the snow and would do it for trees for sure.

The plants that are in frostproof pots out in the weather just have to fend for themselves. I've noticed the hellebores in those pots are pretty dried up, while the ones planted and heavily mulched under the snow are fine.

I brought in one lavender for the winter and put collars cut from plastic pots around the others, and mulched inside them. It is an experiment to see if they will survive.

Let us know, Rosemary.

I think this is a major question that some do not have time to follow the "best way" Pro's describe as what to do with late buying or growing big & little potted perennials. Running out of time in cold but frost free Oct., I got 4 of 6 large potted Jacob Kline Echinachia in ground. Planted 4 & none of 2 yr. old pot- planted perennial yellow Russian Hollyhocks due to bloom 2014 like other Hocks that have bloomed for years. Mid Oct. all stuffed into some soil filled garaged wheelbarrow & covered with last min. weeds, some newspaper & were not watered the weekly cupful (?) after the holidays. (Need jacket/gloves/knit cap just to hustle when putting out garbage & huge recyclables which "seems" to get more nasty cold as I climb up these "wunnerful" Golden Yrs. behind my beloved hubby who just turned 80. (Gasp!!)

I think that those with these questions should get back in early May to see what survived or NOT! VT elder so dumb with constipated 8 yr. old computer & even if had a camera to share my beauties with others, I'd be too stupid as to what button to push & where, etc. But so enjoy all so beautifully star-gazing w/dreams of others that share. Thank You all and have a great new gardening 2014 adventure!!

Glad to hear you survived another VT winter....felt like VT....or even Greenland....here this winter!

the jm's I have in pots in the garage get watered maybe 3 - 4 times while inside. For others planted in large pots outside I let nature (snow) take care of them.