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Winterizing containers
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Posted by crystalholly 7 (My Page) on Tue, Jun 30, 09 at 12:25
| Hello, I'd really like some advice on winterizing perennials in containers. I bought some peppermint and spearmint this year and would like to have them coming back year after year. I have heard some confusing advice, like wrapping the container in burlap (inside or ouside?) and keeping them away from rain and snow so the containers won't crack. However, won't this lack of water kill the plants? Any help is much appreciated! |
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RE: Winterizing containers
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- Posted by tapla z5b-6a MI (My Page) on
Tue, Jun 30, 09 at 15:01
| Some of what I mention is for zone 6 or colder, but most of it applies to you, too. Plants in containers that are setting on the ground, unprotected, should be hardy to at least 2 zones lower than yours (5). Plants buried in their containers in the garden or beds should be hardy to 1 zone lower than yours. You can bury the containers of plants hardy to your zone, and often one zone warmer than yours, against the foundation of a heated building and they should be ok. You can over-winter plants hardy to a zone warmer than yours in an unheated garage if the plants are on the floor, and can pick up another zone if you protect plants by covering them with an overturned cardboard box - just try not to forget & leave the garage door open all night (the voice of experience). ;o) Brrrrr! Killing lows (soil temperatures) are what kills plants by freezing. Any type of insulation won't change the low temperature the soil will eventually reach, it will only slow the speed with which it reaches that temperature, so insulation is useless w/o an extraneous source of heat to trap in the soil. You'll need to water your containers, so those susceptible to cracking can crack if they freeze - there's no way around it. I over-winter over 100 containers in my unheated garage, many in terra cotta, and lots of them crack. I just take it in stride. Plastic, vitrified, and closed-cell foam or resin containers don't often crack, but they can if the soil is well-saturated & freezes. Al |
RE: Winterizing containers
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| I can't add much to what Al already posted, but typically I leave most of my containers outside. The difference being that I'm in zone 5 and growing conifers in containers. Conifers don't mind being outside all winter, in fact most of them need to be out in the cold during winter. If left outside they get plenty of water via snow and rain. This coming winter I'm thinking about bringing a few of them inside our unheated garage. Should be no problem either, just have to make sure they get watered or at least a shovel of snow every now and then for mositure. I'm not familiar with your particular plants but as long as the temp is warm enough for them and they get some moisture they should be OK. HTH Dave |
RE: Winterizing containers
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| I think your mint will be fine outdoors in zone 7, just don't let it dry out or it will surely die. Forget about wrapping the containers. I agree with Al about the cracking. Terra cotta doesn't always break here in zone 7, but often enough. |
RE: Winterizing containers
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| OK, what about the *containers*? For large concrete or glazed earthenware pots that are just too big to move and store, what's the best way to protect them? Should I transplant the plants into the ground, at least for the winter, then dump out the soil and put the container upside down? That's what I did last winter with a newly-purchased large concrete planter. The manufacturer didn't guarantee it but I had no choice. I put small boards under it so it was raised slightly off the ground and covered the drain hole with a stone. But glazed pots aren't glazed on the bottom, so I suppose moisture could still get in tiny spaces and freeze and cause cracks. |
RE: Winterizing containers
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- Posted by tapla z5b-6a MI (My Page) on
Thu, Jul 2, 09 at 15:55
| I don't have room in my garage or shed for all my big containers, so I nest them carefully, turn them upside down on my grow benches, and cover them with a HD trash bag, then tuck the extra under the pots & tie it (the loose plastic) tight with string to reduce the shock of the redneck motif. ;o) You're right about most glazed pots. They can still break because they absorb water through the inner walls & bottom. Only the highly vitrified pots are safe in winter (well - except for some of the plastics & similar materials). What you do with the plants would probably vary with what the plant material IS. Some can go in the ground, and other things in other containers to over-winter buried or in an unheated garage. Al |
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