| With this wacky weather we are having, there is | | | | covered porch. This can be a temporary fix to |
| no telling what kind of weather we will get this | | | | get through a cold spell. If it is something you |
| winter. Here are some tips for protecting your | | | | would like to do for the winter season, make sure |
| planted garden containers the colder climates, or | | | | the light requirements are close to what the plant |
| for areas where the weather might dip into the | | | | needs (Full sun plants will get leggy in the shade, |
| single digits unexpectedly. | | | | shade plants will burn when that sun decides to |
| When a plant is in a container, subtract up to 15 | | | | come out.) and make sure it gets enough water |
| degrees off the hardiness of that plant, tree or | | | | throughout the winter too. |
| shrub. A potted plant is a contained | | | | ~> Cover the whole container garden with |
| micro-environment, and the roots only have the | | | | evergreen boughs or fallen leaves from your lawn |
| walls of the pot to protect them. It's this | | | | - it is nature's insulation. Wait until the weather is |
| difference that we forget about, and lose our | | | | cold enough though, you don't want it to rot - |
| marginally hardy plants to the winter weather. | | | | only to protect. And be sure to take them off |
| Here are some more tips to help your containers | | | | promptly in the spring for the same reason. |
| through the winter: | | | | ~> Choose the high-fired pots instead of the |
| ~> Keep an eye on the weather reports and | | | | terracotta pots. The pots from Vietnam or China |
| stockpile what you need ahead of time so you | | | | are normally high fired, fairly freeze proof, and |
| can react quickly, without hassle. | | | | don't absorb the moisture as much as the |
| ~> Plant in the biggest pot you can. Big pots | | | | terracotta ones do. It is the moisture in the walls |
| don't freeze as fast and the extra soil insulates | | | | of the pot that freezes, expands and breaks the |
| the roots. This may be late news, but keep it in | | | | pot. Leave your terracotta for your annuals, |
| mind for future reference. | | | | empty them out now, and put them away dry |
| ~> Plant the whole pot right in the ground for | | | | for the winter. |
| the winter, with the foliage above the earth of | | | | ~> Keep watering that pot! Even if it is |
| course, and let Mother Earth insulate the pot. | | | | freezing outside the contained environment will |
| ~> Wrap the whole pot in bubble wrap with a | | | | need moisture - and the cold will dry it out. This |
| thick layer of fallen leaves between the plastic | | | | also applies for your in-ground evergreens too - |
| and the pot. The leaves will insulate it and the | | | | check them during the dry spells to make sure |
| plastic will keep the leaves intact for the season. | | | | the soil stays at least damp. |
| Cover this with wrapping of burlap to hide it - and | | | | ~> For more temperate zones with occasional |
| add another layer of insulation - and you can have | | | | freezing, get the pot up on pot feet, bricks or |
| fun decorating it with eyeballs and arms for | | | | stones, so the water can drain and there is |
| Halloween, leaf garland for Thanksgiving and | | | | nothing to really freeze and expand when the |
| twinkly lights for the winter holidays. Use the | | | | temperatures dip unexpectedly for too long. |
| leaves as compost in your veggie bed in the | | | | But, if all else fails and you do loose some plants, |
| springtime. | | | | there is an upside: you get to try something new |
| ~> Move the pot beside the house or under a | | | | next spring! |