The Best Way To Prep Outdoor Planters For Winter Without Lugging Them Indoors

Late fall is a busy time for many gardeners, and there's one task you won't want to forget — protecting your outdoor planters. When winter weather arrives, freezing temperatures can crack containers without sufficient protection.  Moving the pots indoors to an unheated space, such as a garage, is one of the best ways to help them survive the winter. But for those who prefer to avoid lugging heavy planters indoors, an excellent tip on how to winterize perennials is to bury containers in the ground to insulate them from the cold.

Gardeners have many reasons they may want to grow plants in containers year-round rather than growing directly in the ground, such as a lack of space or a desire to have attractive patio or deck plantings during the growing season. While it's common for many home gardeners to overwinter their potted plants by bringing them indoors, well-equipped growers might use greenhouses or hoop houses. On the other hand, the soil provides excellent insulation as an alternative, since it maintains a steadier temperature than the air does. However, to best prep outdoor containers for winter with this technique, it's important to follow a few tips.

When prepping outdoor planters for winter, be sure not to bury containers too early — plants need a few light frosts to commence dormancy in preparation for colder conditions. On the other hand, don't wait too long either. When there's a predicted freeze resulting in the air temperature dropping below 33 degrees Fahrenheit, it's time to save your planters by burying them. If you're going to use the ground as insulation for your potted plants, the best way to bury them is to leave the rim of the pot just above the soil line. This will provide insulation for the roots while not covering the tops of the plants completely. Also, bury pots in south-facing spots, which will be warmer than those facing north or northwest. Once you have buried the containers, mulch around them, without covering the tops completely, to further insulate the plants from the cold of winter.

On the other hand, not all containers need to be, or can be, prepped for winter using this method. While terra cotta and ceramic planters can crack when subjected to freezing temperatures, concrete pots and wood whiskey barrels will make it through unscathed. Very large containers will be too heavy for most gardeners to either bury in the soil or to drag indoors. Instead, insulating the pot and plant with blankets or other coverings is usually the best way to offer protection in winter.