Planting Containers for Winter
Planting Containers for Winter
On Cape Cod, the summer plantings in pots and window boxes often last until our first hard frost in November, but once the temperatures dip below 32° it’s time to replant. When you fill your containers with living plants that last through the winter, you’ll have colorful foliage, berries and even flowers through the winter. And if you choose some small evergreens, you’ll be able to place those into your yard and garden to enjoy for years to come.
To design a pretty container for winter, look for a variety of colors and textures of plants. There are many evergreens available in assorted sizes that will remain colorful all winter.
Once you have chosen your evergreens, look for smaller plants that add more color with their leaves, flowers and berries. Hellebores (Helleborus niger – “the Christmas rose”) will bloom all winter, ornamental kales and cabbages just grow more colorful in the cold, and the brilliant berries on our native wintergreen (Gaultheria procumbens) all add to a winter pot or box. The hellebores and wintergreen can be planted in a shade garden in the spring, and will last for years to come.
Add height to a pot with branches from your property or purchased at Hyannis Country Garden. We typically have assorted red and yellow twig dogwood stems, plus thin birch poles that look good in groups of three or five.
At this time of year you can plant containers that will be pretty for Thanksgiving, and if you want to convert them to a Christmas theme, it’s easy to add red bows or branches, or even some red silk hydrangeas, glittery leaves or birds. A very natural looking urn or pot can be made glitzy for Christmas and then go back to being more understated after the holidays.
Small evergreens and winter perennials are good investments for those who hate to throw a plant away. They will provide colors and leaf-textures in your garden or containers for years to come.
For tips for winter container success:
- Either loosen the existing soil in your containers or add some new potting mix. No fertilizer is needed at this time of year – you can fertilize these plants with Holly-tone when you plant them in pots or in the garden next spring.
- Water the container well after you plant, and once a week for through December if it doesn’t rain or if rainfall can’t reach your pots and boxes.
- After the New Year soil usually freezes and you won’t have to water until the containers thaw.
- Clip off any browned leaves or other faded material in January or February as needed.
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I moved here from VT
Pots (ceramic) freeze in winter and will crack. Are the pots you use metal, plastic?
Thank you
Any plant that’s in a container outside for the winter needs to be in a plastic, fiberglass, wood or metal container. The freezing and thawing will crack most ceramic pots and even many cement containers. If we are potting up outdoor pots for our customers for winter decor, we always use pots that can last through the winter.