For the past couple winters I've started overwintering plants in the garage. The temperature in the garage usually stays at refrigerator temps (32-40F) but occasionally dips a little below freezing during an extended cold snap. Last year I had 30 or 40 plants in there. These are either tender perennials (such as Salvia guaranitica Black & Blue), or seedlings that I haven't planted out yet and worry won't make it outdoors over the winter.

This generally works very well, but I usually lose a few (such as the tropical milkweed, which might have frozen, but I'm not sure). The pots do slowly dry out, so about once a month I lightly water the plants.

My pots get sunk into the empty veg bed. After I have stripped the veggie garden, I have space to sink any pots that I haven't got planted and need to overwinter. In the spring I dig them up and they are fine.

if it is something that I am a bit unsure of its' chances (very young, etc.) I just put it a little deeper and make sure that it is covered up with a good layer of leaves.

Of course I only do that with plants that are fairly hardy ....not with my tropicals that need to come in for the winter.

This post was edited by greylady-gardener on Fri, Sep 19, 14 at 8:47

google says this is a z5 plant.. you think you are in z6 ...

remove from pot .... plant it ... repot in spring if you insist ...

its called 'healing it in for winter' ...

the only issue.. IMHO ... is if you have bad clay soil that does not drain.. if so.. advise ...

if you want to learn about pots.. and overwintering .. etc ... try some plant you have many of ... but learning how to mess with pots... with treasured plants ... can be very stressful ...

or better yet.. divide yours.. put half in the ground.. pot half.. and see what happens ...

if you insist on storing in a pot.. you need to perfect:

potting media
winter water
consistency of dormancy in your area
early sprouting, etc ...

good luck

ken

ps: understand that ..... this has little to do with your specific plant.. other than its winter temp tolerances ... the rules really dont vary ... plant by plant for outdoor plants .. i would have told you the same for trees.. hosta.. conifers.. perennial.. annuals ... etc ....

Yes I do have clay soil and have lost plants over the winter that require good drainage. I lost a euphorbia, other plants that I can't remember and my globe master alliums do not multiply and only dwindle each year. I love globe master but will not spend the money anymore.

So I may leave one pot on the north side of the house and the other pot in the garage. This way I have an experiment-Thanks for the idea!

I have ferns on the north side that have already been through 2 winters and survived in pots. I just don't know where to plant them. What a lame excuse!!

I appreciate your responses!