Rina - Did you just leave them out on your patio? I'm assuming they were up against the side of your house? Thanks!

I find that Semps overwinter better in the ground than in pots. I think the pots freeze and thaw more frequently, while the ground is a bit more consistent. Also, a good snow layer seems to help!

Rina, very nice. Even with all the rain, freezing rain and flash freezes they survived (the pups)? Thats good to hear. I was fortunate they were covered under a few cm of snow back when we had -20c nights. The snow just insulated them. But even then, I have a few casualties.

Breton - Have you ever buried your pots? All the ground-level locations at my home are incredibly shady, so it would have to be temporary.

Kevin - They are actually in fully open area. Have almost all semps in pots for years and years now. Just make sure they are in very gritty mix.

Here are the pups in photo #2 when originally separated and potted, in July 2015 - same tray:

Snow is a good insulator, that's why I don't cover pots. Freezing & thawing water is what kills any plant - that's why drainage is important. I may have lost some hostas this winter since couple of pots had some standing water - will see soon...

Kevin

No, the few Semps I have grown in pots were actually in decorative troughs, not regular pots. Despite a very gritty mix, the ones in my garden bed have always done better ( at least when the weeds don't outcompete them!)

You're not alone, half of mine died over the winter, all the green ones (multiple varieties). No purple ones died. All were in the same pot in gritty mix. I even protected them from rain. I'm lost as to how they managed to rot, but oh well, I already replaced them with more purple-ish ones.

For a plant that supposed to be incredibly tough they sure do give me the most problems, as a group at least.