Hi,
Last year I got lots of cool containers for the garden and during Spring i found out that they were all cracked by the frost.
I noticed some very beautiful blue ceraminc containers on the forum and i am wondering how to overwinter them. Do they need going inside furing winter? Can I leave them outside? I live in Georgia.
Thank you:o)
overwintering ceramic pots
I would put them in the garage or the basement during the winter.
thank you Jasminemom!:o)
Spider07
I leave mine outside but I dry out the soil and cover the pot with a plastic garbage bag, just enough that the snow/rain won't get into the soil and get stuff wet. Some pots are too big for the bag to completely cover so I use bungie cords to keep the bag from moving. ( sometimes I use duct tape too)
Mine have lasted well this way as I can't put them all away. The ones I can lift after I empty the soil out I turn upside down, again so the moisture doesn't collect in them for the freeze thaw thing.
Good luck.
Ann
that is a good idea. thank you Ann.:o)
It depends on the glazed pot too. Some will crack easily while others would probably survive an Antarctic winter (just kidding on this part). I have pitcher plants in a Vietnamese glazed bowl with no drainage holes and it has been outdoors for a few winters with no visible damage. I have a strawberry pot with sedums and sempervivums that went through at least two winters with no damage but then it had a couple of the small bowls break off a winter or two ago (I think the cups were bumped by something hard which caused the original cracking). Safest bet is to take indoors if you value the pot more than the plants in it.
Hi
I'm in zone 3 so I don't tend to leave plants in pots as they don't survive unless they are totaly covered in snow or leaves.
The quality of the pot will definatly make a difference. Plus some sets can be stacked inside each other too.
Sometimes you just have to try something. I would like to have the space to move everything inside but I haven't won the lottery yet.
Ann
thank you Butch and Ann.
I just love blue ceramic pots and got some at a sale. I think I will bring them indoors just in case.
Butch, I have seen photos of your garden and you seem to have hundreds of pots. Do you keep them all indoors for the winter? Do you keep them under lights?
Hey Anna,
Some stay out year round but most of those are resin, plastic, and fiberglass. I have some ceramic and even some terra cotta pots that stay out. Terra cotta is very iffy though.
If the pot is empty then I can leave it outdoors without fear of it breaking, just turn it upside down to keep water out.
Here is an old picture of some bamboo that I moved from 18 inch resin pots to 22 inch fiberglass pots. I need a bigger pot (36") but would need a forklift to move them.
Butch, they are sooo beautiful!
Here are two potted cordylines that stayed out last winter and came back strong. The pots are resin.
they are lovely and so is the doggie!
hcmcdole
Oh boy do I have zone envy! Those cordylines are fabulous! I think the dog is the perfect accompanyment for them.
Ann
Spider, we have well over 500 containers so it would be impossible to bring all of them in. In order for them not to freeze and burst, I just lay them on their side so they can't fill with rain or snow and then expand and break. Our backyard looks pretty funny with so many on their sides but it works! It was a great tip I learned here at DG many years ago.
Wow, 500!!!
Thank you for the tip Brinda!
LOL Spider, that was the count about 2 years ago. No one has been brave enough to take another count since then.
Brinda, what do you grow on those pots?
Oh my, everything I can get my hands on! LOL
I only have 2 actual gardens and that goes back to years ago when we had a three-legged German Shorthair that would lay in my gardens. Since I couldn't keep him out of the gardens, I just started putting everything in containers. Now that he is gone, I need more gardens but I'm really not wanting to deal with all the bermuda grass issues.
Here's a few pics... everything in this garden is in containers.
Our yard is lined in containers.
Yes, that's an old bathtub. LOL Does it count as a container?
We use it for a fish pond and have lots of work to do to it. Someone suggested that I put mosiac tile on it. Sounds like tons of work to me.
...
Are you sorry that you asked? LOL
Can you tell I like coleus?
Coleus Corner
Last one, I promise.
One of my two beds...
No, I am not sorry I asked!!1 Please, more photos!
Your garden is soooooo gorgeous!!! And I love the little details like the pots hanging from posts. Did you buy them like that or did you make them?
I am getting lots of ideas from you. My soil is pure red clay, unbreakable, and I was thinking of making raised beds but they would be too expensive.
I will be growing my plants in pots. I just hope I can do the plant combinations that you do. They are just beautiful!!!!!!!!
Brinda, the posts with the pots on them are in the third photo from the top. Please tell me how to make them or where to buy them from.
The bath is a great idea. I just have to look for one. Do you get critters there?
Brinda, where do you overwinter all these plants?
Brinda
What a lovely display. I'ts amazing what we do for our pets in order to play with our passions!
The dogs laying in the garden is exactly why I started with pots too! I sure don't have 500 though, wow.
Lovely coleus too. I have just taken some cuttings as mine are getting frosted these nights so I envy your warmer climate.
Ann
Thanks annabell!
spider, I apologize for taking so long to respond. I read this about a week ago and thought I would come back later and then forgot.
The pots on the posts are made with the 'hang a pot' hanger. Here is a good link where they were discused and then led to a co-op last spring. http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/807591/
As far as overwintering... I cram everything (especially tropicals) that I can in my garage and X my fingers! So far, I have had really good luck. All the containers that are left outside are turned on their side and most of the time all the cannas overwinter like that.
Beautiful - I am envious. How do you water everyting? Or do you get lots of rain?
Oh snowtop, I have to water everyday and sometimes twice a day in the hottest part of the summer. It takes me a little over 2 hours to water everything, but it's worth it to us!
Wow- yes it certainly is worth it.
Hi Brinda,
thank you very much for the info. I am going to order some.:o)
Brinda, you have some gorgeous container plantings! Do you take cuttings of the coleus or just get new ones in the spring?
I leave my large ceramic containers outside, filled, all winter-most have Japanese maples, but I have mixed annual & perennial pots that have done fine for 2 years now (I'm in NoVA, but we've had some mild winters). I woud think in GA, you'd be far enough south that you shouldn't worry about most containers, except maybe small terracotta...
thank you thistle.:o)