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Group several pots together next to a wall to help insulate them and to protect them from winds that cause desiccation and freezing. Plus, proximity makes it easier to keep the containers watered. --photo courtesy of Denver Botanic Gardens
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Overwintering Options for the OutdoorsDepending on where you live, it may be necessary to provide added protection for your pots. Here are several options for overwintering containers:
Group several pots together on soil and close to the house or wall. Place the cold-hardiest plants on the outskirts of the grouping with the less hardy plants in the center. Put straw bales on the periphery. Putting them together increases the mass and volume of insulation and protects them from cold, harsh winds that cause desiccation and freezing. Because a majority of roots tend to be on the outside of the rootball, the only insulation for roots is the wall of the pot itself. Prior to planting, insert foam at least one inch thick around the walls of square pots to insulate roots. For rounded pots, line the container's interior walls with foam peanuts. Bury pots in soil to the top of the container. Or remove the rootball from the container and plant in the ground. Clean the container and store indoors. Dig up the rootball next season and repot into the same or a larger container. Wrap pots in burlap, bubble wrap, old blankets or geotextile blankets. It isn't necessary to wrap the entire plant because it's the roots that need shielding. These protective coverings will help to trap heat and keep it at the root zone. If low temperatures loom, cover plants with cloth, burlap or plastic at night. If you use plastic, be sure to remove the covering during the day since temperatures can heat up, causing premature bud growth. Also, when covering, avoid damaging the top part of the plants. Injury sets up the plant for cold and pest damage. Insert your pot into a larger pot for added protection. This will work best if the larger pot has thick walls or added insulation.
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