There's someone on the forum who covers the pots with plastic to keep them dry over winter. I hope she answers you and gives details - I'd like to try it myself.

i think.. the plastic is a down south thing ...

in the great white north.. there are a couple issues ...

one.. the media holding so much water.. that it literally become an ice cube.. and there is no oxygen in an ice cube.. so roots might suffer ... so we dont mind some moisture.. we just dont want too much ...

second ... as temps swing wildly thru winter.. we want to avoid the pot/media.. going thru repeated freeze/thaw cycles.. a week long warm spell MIGHT activate the roots.. only for them to refreeze .. perhaps.. once they can get over that.. but if happens.. over and over.. sooner or later.. the roots will rot ....

so all i can suggest is.. NO SUN all winter ... and some kind of VERY LOOSE .. lets call it tenting.. just to keep rain out in warm spells ... for me.. with plain black pots.. i just tipped them on their sides.. and stacked them on the north side of the barn ... still had ice under them in late april ....

frankly.. when i had 1650 pots.. winter wasnt the problem.. it was an early warm MI spring.. followed by early budding due to pot media warming.. as compared to mother earth ... followed by repeated frosts and freezes ... i really think.. this is the bigger problem time.. rather than winter itself..

the key with winter.. is simply put.. get them dormant.. keep them dormant..

and spring is when they go back and forth.. too many times ...

those are the variables.. FOR ZONE 5 .. in my mind.. how you solve it.. is up to you ...

also.. who knew.. in my cold z5.. that the pole barn.. was probably z8.. using a shed/garage/barn.. makes it easy to keep them dormant.. for winter.. but who needs hosta sprouting in early march in MI ... so if you use such for the worst of winter.. think about moving them out.. or opening it up.. so trapped heat.. doesnt get them going too early ... but this is a volume issue.. your few dozen plants.. will most likely not be as big a problem as 1600 pots ...

with the barn.. i would simply open it all up every morning.. and close it just before bed ...

an alternative.. would be to dig a row in the veggie/annual garden.. tip out the plants.. and 'heal them in' .. store the pots.. cover the plants with soil.. and maybe a nice cover of straw ... and repot them in spring.. before they start budding out.. this method uses the shear size of mother earth.. to temper temperature swings ....

and finally ... i hope all your plants are glazed ceramic.. which are impervious to water.. if not.. they have the potential.. to crack.. if they freeze with moisture in the cells ... personally i would never leave anything in an expensive pot.. for fear of losing the pot itself ... but that problem lessens.. the higher the zone ... with your 6.. you are very borderline either way ... and hard to give you a specific answer ...
ken

Thank you for the responses. In zone 6, it seems that there's a potential problem with all of the options. It's like choosing the lesser of evils.

These plants are new this year and still in black plastic (1 gal.?) pots. I think I have an area large enough that I can plant the pots. Is it critical to get the soil right up to the top or would half way do the trick? Any problems with butting them up tightly next to each other?

Thanks again.

Drat- I have hosts in huge pots, and I just dig them up and put them in the ground over winter. They don't die, but it is a lot of work and not the best thing for the plants. I was hoping for an easy way out.

I could be wrong, but I don't think Ken meant to plant the pots. It seems like they'd be apt to collect water and rot the roots. Just pop them out of the pot and tuck them in the ground - nice, well draining ground if you have some. Make a map showing what's planted where, too. Tags get frost heaved and dug up by animals.

Monet

You wait until the potting media freezes, usually early December or so. Then you tip them on their sides. The medium then stays in place. I use the North side of my house to place them. You want them to be in a spot where they won't thaw and freeze. Staying frozen is a good thing. In zone 6 you should tip your pots if you are wintering them over outside.

Steve

brilliant steve.. i forgot about this..

this isnt a the trees changed color.. and the garden is closed for the year..

this is more a .. i have a new years hangover.. so i am going to crawl out there and knock the pots over.. BUT DO NOT EVER KICK A FROZEN POT.. unless you are wearing steal toed boots.. been there.. nearly broke a toe.. cant tell you how many times.. lol ...

in my coarse sand.. i could sink pot and all ... because of the total drainage

you would NOT do that in a bad clay soil ... with the potential to hold water..

listen monet.. pick one option.. but dont worry about it.. they are hosta.. just dont let the media turn into an ice cube by getting too much water while the media is frozen.. [tipping]

and dont let the black pot thaw and freeze in winter sun ... [get it dormant.. maintain dormancy]

its not mysterious.. and its not much to worry about ...

ken

"You wait until the potting media freezes, usually early December or so. Then you tip them on their sides. The medium then stays in place." What a concept!!!
Thanks, Steve!
Cheers,
Gail

... and Ken, you are right. I obsess over these things.
Gail

I obsess over these things.

==>>> yes.. as you might children..

but always keep in mind.. they are NOT children.. and you can leave them out in weather.. and kick them around.. presuming you dont break a toe..

ken

I scrolled down and saw the title of this thread and read it at first as tripping over wintering pots. lol!

Karen