GardenBanter.co.uk - View Single Post - Container Gardening Resources and Information

[email protected] · 08-03-2009, 07:12 PM posted to rec.gardens

On Sun, 8 Mar 2009 08:52:58 -0700 (PDT), wrote:

On Mar 8, 8:27*am, "Andrew Ostrander" wrote:
No plants
survive ten degrees in a container that I know of in the general plant
trade. *Maybe there are some Alpine plants, but they are very
specialized.

I've noticed that one person in my neighbourhood successfully overwintered
hostas in containers last year, just left out for the winter, and the air
temperatures here in winter sometimes go down to -40C. *So hostas seem to be
very cold hardy! (I'm trying it myself this year. *I sure hope it works.)

Just out of curiousity, how big were the containers? In the past,
I've been told that in order to successfully overwinter in containers

Containers ranged from 1 gal to 3 gal. What I now know
(thanks to jangchub) is that the frigid temps probably killed
off the root structure..... This is zone 7 Maryland where 0 to 10
degrees occurs during Jan and Feb.

I guess it's time to see ground temperatures in a different light.

(zone 3a), the container should be a minimum of 3x3x3 feet. Sometimes
people here will put foam insulation inside the outside edge as well.
Storage in a garage or cool storage area is also an option.

As for the OP, different plants have different cultural requirements,
and gardening advice also tends to be regionally specific as well, so
no one book is going to tell you everything. You might consider
taking a workshop or class or join a horticultural club. Perhaps stick
to annuals in containers for now.

Good idea... the workshops.... unfortunately the few that I've
been to all were open Q&A sessions about what type of plants
and what type of landscape designs. Not one ever taught a lot
the basics of gardening,,,,

Annual flowers grow annually.... I have plenty of those.... however there
are areas that I want to see how different landscape designs might work, and
so container plants would help me plan these areas.

Also, I never met a plant that I didn't like.... and would like to grow more of a
variety.....

This ng is a fantastic source of information for which I'm grateful... plenty
of knowledgable people here willing to share their experience for which I'm
grateful....

Peter

Dora