Winter fertilizing?

I live in Burleson, Texas, just a little south of Fort Worth. We're on the border of zones 7 and 8. I'm trimming back some nice plants I got at the botanical garden sale this spring. Frankly, I didn't know if they would survive our hot summer, much less be cold hardy. We've had a pretty good freeze, and the lambs ear and garden aster have new growth, so I just cut them back and added potting soil. I have no idea what the other plant is, but it is still thriving. It is a silvery green in a nice rounded shape. The leaf doesn't really look like one. It's a very little fuzzy thing. Anyway, it's attractive as is, so I'm not trimming it at all. Just added dirt. All these plants are in planter bowls 17 inches across and 7 inches high in a bed of pretty rocks. I've never been able to keep anything alive in this bed before this year, because it doesn't drain well, thus the containers. My question is do I fertilize these container plants now or wait until spring. One is flowering still, and the other two don't have flowers at all. Since I've never had anything make it through the season in this bed, I've never had to worry about what to do for them at this time of year. I usually use Osmacote (sp?) on just about everything. If you do suggest fertilizing, would that product be ok? All suggestions and advice appreciated.

Thanks,
Syb

Osmocote is a nice slow release fertilizer, but I really would not recommend fertilizing now. Since it encourages new growth. I'm not highly experienced with container growing, but I do use that formula with both in ground, container and houseplants and have had good success.
Please do take a picture of your purties and ask for help in the Plant ID forum. Somebody will know what they are I'm sure.

I agree, osmocote should be just fine during the winter. If you like, you can experiment with the relatively low npk's of that liquid miracle grow. Since my zone is a bit warmer, I do use that during the winter about once a month, since most things are still in an active state here.
I'm always experimenting! You never know how things turn out, it's all different responses, even 5 miles down the road!

Rj

I would leave off with fertilisers for the winter, all the plants you are talking about like sort of mediterranean conditions to grow really well, however, they are also found on mountain tops in that area where the temps really do drop fast in winter time, for winter protection as they are in pots, you should either offer them some form of protection by laying a blanket over them, I use that very fine fleece that you buy from the garden centers, it is white woven cloth, very fine and light, it is called plant covers in some areas, but if you say what it is for, then the shop worker should know what you mean. the other thing for real hard frost where pots are concerned is to protect the roots/pot from cold, so maybe a mulch would help, better still, can you lift the pots indoors for the worst months, I grow the same plants as you in my hot borders here in UK and the survive the coldest of winters but they are in the soil and given a mulch. remember, these plants will have a winter rest period, your lambs ear will look rather limp at the foliage when frost gets it, but come spring, it will send out new shoots from the roots and get growing again, because I said they were mediterranean plants, don't mean they are so fragile that they cant take a bit of frost so long as the roots don't freeze. hope this helps you a bit.
By the way, if the fuzzy plant you mentioned has yellow flowers and you rub the foliage a bit between your hands, it could be the curry plant as they all grow in the same areas,
Good luck. WeeNel.

Good advice.
the blankets referred too are called Frost blankets here. I have stacks of them, and they do help in a quick frost.