Are you considering winter container plants this year? Are you skeptical about finding things that might grow? Look no further, we’ve got you covered.
Winter container plants are not as uncommon as you may think! When winter comes to mind, acquiring plants are not usually the ultimate goal. Plants are normally going dormant at this time of year, but there are plants that thrive in the winter.
This post is all about practical winter container plants that you can add to your flower garden today.
Nurseries and local home improvement stores actually carry winter plants…just not as many as you see during spring and summer. Looking for some practical winter container plants? Let’s dig into this!
Why container plants?
Well, winter is cold and not really the most optimal growing season. However, keeping your plants in containers will allow you to move them when needed or easily make amendments to the soil. Attempting to nurture a cold and sometimes frozen ground is hard work. Creating a winter plant container can be an easier alternative. Your containers can be pots, window boxes, stone…the possibilities are endless.
What should I buy?
Buying plants depends on your growing zone. Your nursery or local home improvement store should carry the best plant for your zone but always do your own research. For example, elephant ears may grow well in your area. But, elephant ears thrive in the shade. They will grow in full sun, but you will have to water them regularly since they are tropical plants. Doing your research will help you to understand not only what to grow, but where to grow it in your yard amongst other details.
When shopping for plants, keep in mind that these plants do not need room to grow. If you are in a zone that experiences a winter where most plants go dormant, you will not get a big beautiful harvest like a spring/summer arrangement. So buy enough plants to fill your container! Arrange your plants in your shopping cart in the way you would like for them to appear in your container. Pick colors and varieties that you think would go together. And if you want to keep it super simple, just buy one type of plant for your container.
Some of the most common winter container plants are:
Violas
Sedum
Coral Bells
Winter Irises
Pansies
Heather
Camellia
In doing your research, you will find many more than what is included in this list.
Caring for your Winter Container Plants
Winter care for plants is no different than spring/summer care. Since most plants don’t grow very much in winter, you don’t need as much water and/or fertilizer.
The main thing you want to master is good drainage. If you water your plants in winter without proper drainage, you will end up with ice in your plants.
Saucers are great for some plants in the summertime because it retains water and hold moisture. This is not the case for winter containers. Remove any saucers you may be using under your containers and replace them with something that raises the plant from its surface. Just removing the saucer doesn’t work either. The water needs to flow freely from the bottom of the plant where the holes are located.
Now you have everything you need to get started with winter container plants! Enjoy!
This post was all about winter container plants for your garden.
