YEAR-ROUND CONTAINER GARDENING HAS BECOME A STRONG GARDENING TREND OVER RECENT YEARS
Winter is officially here. Boy, has 2025 come in like a lion with bitterly cold temperatures and snow. Typically, our winters in Virginia are very fickle. We can have some abnormally warm days and some very frigid days—sometimes all in the same week. It is just the way our winters can be in Virginia. With this said, our plants can also be confused by these up-and-down temperature changes.
Some of you are trying container gardening for the first time. I have some thoughts and tips to give you the best possible chance of being a successful container gardener through the winter. Unfortunately, you could follow every direction I have given you and still end up with dead plants in your container come spring. As I said earlier, winter in Virginia is a fickle and unpredictable season. However, my tips will give you the best chance for success.
- The bottom line is that plants’ roots are more susceptible to cold damage than any other part of the plant. Interestingly enough, many of the elements of gardening that are most critical to plants’ survival during the growing season—soil and water—play just as pivotal a role for plants in the winter.
- Some of you may think about bringing your outdoor container garden inside. DON’T! Though theoretically possible, you have a slim chance of success. Evergreen plants rely on a period of cool winter to go dormant and stay dormant. Indoors is far too warm for these hardy evergreens.
- Tough, hardy evergreens such as spruce, cypress, juniper, and many other plants can normally withstand Virginia winter temperatures.
- For the winter months, you may want to position your container gardens in a sheltered area. Personally, I leave mine in the same spot year-round. I use large containers, and the more soil in the containers, the better insulated the roots are.
- Never let plants go dry—even in the winter—no matter if they are in a dormant state of growth. You need to keep container gardens watered periodically.
- No need to be fertilizing plants in the winter. The plants are not trying to grow.
- DON’T BE AFRAID OF FAILURE!!!! With failure comes experience and knowledge, so embrace any failure and turn it around. Don’t let failure win and discourage you from container gardening.
Happy Gardening / Happy New Year – we hope to see you in 2025.