I don't normally worry about perennials and shrubs and cold temperatures

==>>

then why start now ... z6 is defined as: Zone 6 can expect minimum average temperatures of -10 to -0 degrees F

from this link: https://gilmour.com/planting-zones-hardiness-map

if the pots are dry.. and ceramic glazed.. no issue ... if they are like adobe.. wiht water in the clay matrix.. they might crack ... but 2 years running they made it.. so ....

i wouldnt bother running around out there like a chicken with its buolch head cut off.. as doris day once said ...: Que será, será Whatever will be, will be

mom used to walk around the house singing this ... weird its from a hitchcock movie ...

if you feel you need do something.. pray ... and drink ... whatever will be will be .. the future not ours to see ....

let the song cycle to the next doris day montage ... or look for fly me to the moon ....

ken

ps: we also sang a few of the songs from sound of music ....

I have the same thoughts..pics of hellebores and daffodils 1-28..

right now my phone says 14 degrees..it looks like this..some snow but not much..I’m not going out there..ugh..

fyi..I put pots in the garage and shed since I have the space..

Thanks Ken, very familiar with the DD movie and song. [g] I was just playing songs from Sound of Music Saturday. Some of my favorites.

OKay, whatever will be will be. I had two very nice clay pots that I left out with dirt in them two winters ago and they cracked and some of the base broke off. I am stupid. I really liked those pots and I've looked to try to replace them and I haven't seen any as nice yet.

The ceramic is not clay at all and they are empty upside down and have been left out at least 3 winters. They are heavy, that's why I leave them out. My garage is very cold, so I would want to put them in the basement and that would require lifting them. I just went out to check them, one is frozen to the stone under it and the other seems to be as well at least on one side.

Nicolsworth - I have some daffodil foliage up that much in one bed and I grabbed a couple of handfuls of chopped leaves and dropped them on top of them yesterday. Maybe you could try that.... or straw/hay, or shredded paper?

We used to get pretty consistent snow cover every winter for at least most of the winter, but those days are long gone. We've only had about 3 inches of snow and it turned to rain and was gone in 2 days.

prairiemoon..I leave leaves on the beds so the plants have some protection..since we have a little snow I won’t bother to add more leaves now..I’ve dropped leaves on new plants many times..especially hosta in the spring..

fyi..we have a snowblower..haven’t used it in 3?4? years..

I added a lot of chopped leaves to my most used bed this fall. Happy I did. A couple of areas that I could have used some more, and since I have a good amount of chopped leaves this year, I might go add more to a few areas today just for insurance. Not a lot of effort required.

I just checked the roses in the area that is not mulched enough. New Dawn hardy to z4. Penelope hardy to zone 5. Aloha hardy to z5. So, maybe nothing to worry about. The New Dawn and Penelope roses have seemed indestructible to this point.

Ok, Nicholsworth, I must confess I am one of those neighbors who hires someone to rake the leaves out to the curb for collection by the city. I have thought about leaving them, but without anything to hold them down until it snows (which it finally did significantly on Sunday 9 & 3/4 inches) they continue to blow around the sidewalk and neighbors’ yards. This can make it difficult and slippery for people walking by as well as for me coming and going from the house. (Don’t want to fall on those titanium hips, lol). Then when it does snow, leaves can make it very difficult to remove snow as they may freeze to the concrete. I am not sure how to remedy the situation without raking. Also, though most people in my neighborhood wouldn’t, you can be reported for not clearing your sidewalk and receive a fine. (You know, the city has to make their money lol.) So it’s like I am stuck between a rock and a hard place,as the saying goes. Any suggestions??

debra

I have found that perennials that come out early, like daffodils and tulips, are insanely cold hardy and can take temps well below freezing down into the teens and upper single digits and be unscathed. Not sure about minus 7, though! good luck