Gardeners’ Forum: “perennials in containers”
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Posted by Pat on Friday, March 14, 2008 2:36 PM ADTSome perennials are shown 'good for container planting'. How do I over winter perennials that are planted in container pots? Like, lillies, small shrubs, etc. I am in zone 2b.
re: perennials in containers
Posted by Elizabeth on Friday, March 21, 2008 8:23 PM ADTI'm in zone 5b and find phlox particularly hardy. After 7 years of container gardening, I find winters vary quite a bit so patience and and willingness to experiment is key. Some years lilies come back -- some years not. If something doesn't come back, it's a good excuse to try a new colour or something new altogether.
re: perennials in containers
Posted by Pat on Tuesday, April 22, 2008 8:29 PM ADTThanks, Elizabeth. Your warmer climate wouldn't be a problem for winter storage. Do I just leave the containers outside?
re: perennials in containers
Posted by Dorothy Dyer on Monday, April 28, 2008 12:12 PM ADTI have been keeping perennials over the winter in pots for several years. I am in zone 5. I just line the pots up along a fence and let the leaves blow in around them in the fall. They get a heavy amount of snow cover where they are and seem to come back fairly nicely. I lose the odd thing but as Elizabeth said that gives me a chance to try something new. I have had sucess with dianthus, daylily, euphonymus, mock orange, golden elderberry and ferns. I have tried chrysanthemums but not much sucess there. I have lots in the ground so I just add new ones to the pots in the fall and grow annuals for the summer. That gives a nice change when the annuals are looking tired in late summer and dividing my larger mums helps keep them under control.
re: perennials in containers
Posted by Tracie on Monday, April 28, 2008 1:43 PM ADTThe rule of thumb for plants in containers is that they have to be one zone hardier than if they are in the ground. So for zone 2b container plants to winter they would have to be zone 1 plants. That said I have had good luck waiting for my potted perennials to die down after a good frost and then moving them into an insulated/unheated garage. This seems to be enough protection for them in Zone 4 (and I sometimes have luck with zone 5-6 plants this way). Just make sure to get them back outside before they start to sprout in spring and keep them damp but not moist whenever they are not frozen in the winter.
