Overwintering in an unheated garage as you said will work fine. Just be sure to water well before placing in the shed. If you wish to leave it outside, just mound 5-6 inches of mulch on the pot and leave outside. Best wishes :).

I leave pots outside in the winter in a somewhat sheltered area. We get decent precipitation but I am not above watering if it is warm and dry for an extended time. In a garage in a warm climate you would be responsible for 100% the water they need.

Up here a garage makes sense in winter for a lot of plants, down in TX I think the garage will get too warm on sunny days (which is most of them in winter) and coax them into early growth. Better to leave them in the coolest, shadiest place you can find outside where, as Tornado points out, you will be less likely to need water them.

In my garage, even in winter, I still need to water deciduous stuff about once a month because the dry air sucks moisture out of the soil. They don't need a lot of water of course, but you don't want it to get bone dry. Evergreens actively transpire...camellias are the worse. Sometimes needing water more than once a week if it gets really cold and dry. (the garage is kept at or near 32F minimum, barring insulating malfunctions) It doesn't help that Camellia Forest uses a very friable bark based mix that doesn't hold much water. Makes you appreciate why they need strong root systems in marginal climates, and why I've lost plants like 'Red Jade' even at temps above 0F if they were in spots with winter morning sun. It just dries them right out.

Is there a spot where you could plant the whole pot rather than having them sitting above ground?

We are in a rental until the house is done, and it needs extensive grading...as those things go, we're looking at Feb! I'm afraid of the squirrels eating them here- they are already digging in the pots- so I think I'll try the garage, and keep an eye on moisture. I can put them near the front...this house was built in the 60's, and the garage certainly has some daylight around the edges, haha, so it will stay pretty cold. I'll watch their water. Thank you for all the advice! I wasn't sure weather it was an idea even worth entertaining.

what kind of trees??.. might matter ...

i think you are trying to love them up a bit much ... and that can lead to more problems than not doing it .....

and you seem to be mixing a squirrel issue with a winter issue ...

there is no reason they should go in a structure ... in what you might call winter .. lol ... unless they are some exotic tropicals ...

its hard to give advice about squirrels... not knowing tree nor pot size ...

even in my MI ... where we have real winter ... i have had better luck with trees in pots.. in full winter shade ...[dont want the pots themselves to heat in sun]... rather than messing with them in the barn ... the worse being.. they come out of dormancy too early ...

more info please ..

ken

ken, it states in the OP that the trees are oaks and maples.

blimey ... i was so excited they gave location.. i didnt finish the rest of the sentence.. lol ...

neither are foo foo trees... i wouldnt be too worried about them ... and overdo it.. in any direction ....

ken