Potted plant tips for the winter months

If you have a potted plant that you cannot bring indoors during the winter months, there are steps you can take to protect it from the cold. With just a few basic supplies, you can keep your plant happy and healthy so that it may thrive once again in the spring.

What you need:

• Gravel
• Insulating materials (leaves, mulch, straw, etc)
• Chicken wire (if needed)
• Stakes (if needed)

Method:

• Start by digging a hole in the soil in a sheltered part of your garden.
• Make sure that the hole is slightly deeper than the height of the potted plant container.
• Spread some gravel at the bottom of the hole to allow drainage in the spring as the pot thaws when temperatures rise.
• Place the pot in the hole and cover with a thin layer of soil. Make sure that the rim of the pot is slightly lower than the ground level surrounding it.
• Now you can winterize the plant. There are several methods of doing this. One option is to add mulch around the base of the plant. Another option is to add leaves, straw or even compost over the area where the pot is buried.
• After the winter, you can uncover the plant carefully and remove it from the hole. Remember, you should not leave the plant in the hole during the spring since the soil can become over saturated as the snow melts.
• If you have several plants, you can cluster them together in a sheltered location like against a wall. The wall will help protect them from the cold wind. You can also place smaller pot inside a larger one and fill the space in between with soil or mulch.
• You can also build insulating silos around your plants using chicken wire and stakes. Fill the silo with leaves and straw.

By following these simple steps, you can keep your potted plant or plants happy even when temperatures are at their lowest. Smaller plants should be moved indoors, however, since they might not be able to withstand the cold weather even if they are protected.