Last year I planted a couple of perennials in pots. I really didn't expect them to live but I moved them into our un-heated garage and they made it! My question is that each year I've always taken out 1/3 to 1/2 of the potting soil out of the pots and added fresh soil before I replanted them. How do I take care of perennials in pots? Does the soil get 'worn out' for lack of better wording!
Depending on the perennial you might have to be transplanting to larger pots as it matures so you will be refreshing the soil then. What did you plant?
You didn't mention the size of your pots or the perennials??? I always have trees, perennials and an assortment of plants in pots, some for well over a decade. Some plants like sedums and my mungo pine do well for years. I only tip the plants out every few years and add more potting mix to the bottom to raise the plants back up closer to the rims. Some grasses and flowering perennials I divide in half and replenish with good quality potting mix in to the vacated portion of the pot. Of course then I end up with too many plants since everything has been doubled. Good luck and keep those pots on a regular watering schedule.
I have tried to overwinter plants in my garage and it just gets too cold here in Wisconsin. I tried the cigar plants because they are so hard to find every year for my hummingbirds. I even surrounded the roots or containers in Styrofoam...
Hi . I have been growing a variety of perennials in pots for many years and as far as general looking after them goes I follow much the same procedure as Jewell - let them get on with it, just the occasional division as necessary and with a liquid feed now and then during the season. I grow quite a number of Hostas in the ground but also like them in pots since they are more easily watched for slugs and snails. The potted/containerised plants whatever can also be changed about/rearranged for display purposes into groups for different "pictures" from time to time. I also like to pot anything a little finicky such as the Scopolia I have mentioned in the topic or plants I love but that have a wandering habit - to keep them in bounds - an example being the Obedient plant ( Physostegia) which is a real ramper and a nice variegated Solomons Seal - there are others. Have to say ref winter weather ours here in my area in UK are mild and now almost non existent due to weather pattern changes - appreciate that in U.S. with all the different zones the situation is different/differing - I leave mine out in the open all winter and frost does not harm them - not the same situation for yourselves (depending where) so winter protection may be needed. I always give them a good sized pot/container when first planted. Syd.
I lost the tag for it but it is a salvia/sage and looks very much like 'Wild Thing' but the tag did say it was hardy to zone 5. It is planted in a 12 inch wide and 14 inches deep pot.
Since you are in a colder zone winter protection like bales of straw might be in order. That is a fairly small pot and a plant probably wouldn't survive an extended hard freeze. My climate is much more like SS's. We get temps into the teens for short periods of time, but mostly not much below freezing. My microclimates are also moderated by large fir trees, areas of patio pavers and proximity to water (Puget Sound). Different varieties of plants of the same species often have different survival rates. Gardening in or out of pots is always one experiment after another. Happy gardening!
Hi. Experiments and exciting indeed - as stated before much as I love all flowers for themselves and what Insects they attract etc my main accent on plants is for foliage and to use the many varying shapes colours forms etc to make up interesting and contrasting displays with these - in pots and planted. Pots as Jewell said need to be sufficiently large to allow for growth for a few seasons without re-potting so often - my pots mostly ( such as for Hostas and similar) are in the 18-20 dia size whatever. As the season progresses these can be rearranged and changed round to give different pictures now and then - a nice mixture of different shapes, colours, heights and forms of foliage - the flowers as a lovely bonus. In addition to those planted round it I have a nice arrangement standing on the paths round my little pond which looks good at all times during the season - much fun to be had but I say again I live in an area where winter frosts do little if any damage to them. Syd. These pics shows Hostas in pots and also foliage contrasts.
I have put them outside and they are leafing out nicely. I decided to leave them in the pots with last years potting soil. I'm going to give them a low dose of miracle grow and super thrive to help them along.
Hi 20u. Are you going to increase the number/range of plants in containers - if so a really good start would be with a few Hostas which for me do very well , also Astilbes and just about any not too large perennials worth a go I find. Syd.
I would love to grow more perennials in pots but my winters are generally so cold that they die. This past winter was very mild, only down to -23F (-33.5C) and only for a few days. The only way I kept these alive was by putting them in the garage which is attached to the house so rarely goes much below zero. I would love to grow some mini or small hosta in pots. I wonder if this would work for them?
Hi Kitty, 2ou. The Hostas make a grand show and where they are sited blend in nicely with the little pond and its surrounding plants which include more Hostas, Ferns, Luzula and Irises. At the sunny south end I have some corms of the old Antholiza (pop. aunt eliza) which I think now come in with Crocosmia - these are the reddish ones and grow to about 3-4 feet tall foliage with their flower spikes - these shade that end of the water. Watching to their watering and shade whilst in foliage perhaps just give one or two of the tiny Hostas a try in pots and pop them in a box of straw or similar in the garage winter time?. Syd.
