Any suggestions on wintering over herbaceous perennials in pots? Being above ground, can they survive?
Over Wintering Perennials
golddog...in a cool place, such as a garage or close to the house with some styrofoam covering..that should work!!! good luck....Elaine
Elaine, do the pots need watering at all in the garage? Or would this just freeze the root system?
Baa
Oct 24, 2002
What perennials and how big are the pots Golddog?
Most perennials will need a little water over the winter, not much but enough to stop the roots drying our completely.
Hi Baa!, (2) 3' x3' pots w/ Buddleja 'Dartmoor'. Fairly heavy to handle; If possible would like to leave them where they sit in the side yard. I went to the Conservatory yesterday and photographed Chrysanthemums in bloom. Very special plants. I would like to contact you next week when the pics are back about the scientific naming and entering them here in the database. No one present yesterday knew much about the proper genus.
Baa
Oct 25, 2002
Wow Big pots! No wonder you don't want to move them.
First off are they on pot feet to aid drainage?
One thing you might like to try is wrapping around the pot with sacking, fleece or bubble wrap and stuffing the space between the wrap and pot with a thick layer (around 3-4 inches) of straw.
If and when the weather gets really harsh, a further thick layer of straw (minus the wrap) on top of the pot soil surface might be useful. Make sure the wrapping is secured tightly, (rope is pretty useful for that), I don't want my ears burning hotly when you have windy weather *G*
We also pull all the outside pots close together to create a slightly warmer microclimate for all of them, it doesn't make a huge difference but there is a small benefit.
I'll do my best with the Chrysanthemums :)
This message was edited Thursday, Oct 24th 8:32 PM
We put all of our perennial pots in the ground. DH digs a trench in a sheltered area of the yard and we place them in it up to the normal soil line and then cover them all with dirt. We then put straw or leaves on top of the whole shebang. I never lose any plants. Yes, they do require watering. Also, they need proper drainage so it is good to put a layer of rocks or some porous material under them if the holes stand a possibility of clogging up with the dirt that will be surrounding them. I often use leaves to prevent this.
I do appreciate the excellent advice!