How to Keep Potted Plants Dormant

I grow plants in my yard, I have many that aren't big enough to plant, or don't have room. So I grow them in pots untill I know what to do with them, or untill they reach a good size to plant. So it is not a problem in the summer. Just watering them every day of course! 😉 You can not leave plants in pot outside in the winter. The cold air will kill the roots. While yes, even if it's cold hardy below zero (°F), that is if it's planted in the ground protected from cold drying winds. In thin pots, temps below 20°F can kill a plant hardy to -20°F. So what is the best thing to do to keep plants dormant in the winter?

The best thing to do is keep them unprotected for the first several freezes, so long as temps don't drop below 20°F. Once temps are forecasted to dip below 20°F, but not below 10°F. Wrap the pots very thick with burlap. This will protect the roots while the plant itself is fine in the cold. This ensures if you didn't have a long enough time between your first frost and temps below 20°F to  put your plants dormant. Once temps get below 10°F, the plants must be put in a cool garage, or green house of some sort. You can not bring them indoors because they will wake up from dormancy and die because they weren't dromant long enough. General rule of thumb, plants that are hardy to at least 0°F or colder need at least 2 months of dormancy at the least. So let's say it's -10°F outside, but in your green house or cool garage it is 30°F. That is still cold enough to keep them dormant, but not cold enough to kill the roots.

I hope this helps you grow potted perennials successfully!

NatureMan

DISCLAIMER: I do not own the last 2 pictures. I found them online. I do own the first 3 ones though. The photos that are not mine are just for demonstration and educational purposes.