Planted pots over winter

joeyvicks

Like the pleb that I am after watching gardeners world a few weeks back I went out bought a load of pots and bulbs and planted them up and have dotted them around my garden.

I've now just watched the most recent GW and Monty said do not leave terracotta pots outdoors over winter!! What can I do? Will the bulbs still come through if I put them in the garage? I've done a quick google search and it says they will almost certainly crack if left outside overwinter.

Help please cos I've spent a small fortune on them all

TonyMMM

Depends if they are well made frostproof pots, or cheap ones which will shatter as soon as the weather gets cold.

It helps if you put feet under them so they don't sit on frozen ground and water can drain properly.

joeyvicks

They wasn't particularly expensive so at a guess I'd say they aren't frost proof. Gutted.

Will the bulbs do ok in the garage or would I need to keep bringing them out during the day and putting them away over night?

azzabazza

I pot up terracotta pots with bulbs every autumn and so far haven't had problems with pots shattering. I tend to keep them tucked in near the house.

I live in South-east Scotland and we do get quite severe frosts but probably not so severe as folk living inland from the coast.

joeyvicks

Yeah I'm coastal too so I may try your trick and out them in a protected corner on some feet with a make shift cloche on top and try my luck

TonyMMM

They would be fine in the garage, but once the shoots come through they will need light to grow properly, so I don't think I would bother putting them in/taking them out etc.

As others suggest , I would just put them somewhere sheltered, maybe close to a house wall, and see what happens - if one does crack you can always repot the bulbs into something else.

Make sure water can drain away from them, if it can't and they get waterlogged and then freeze, that is what does the damage.

I_have_spoken

I've had the occasional unglazed pot 'flake' rather than crack due to frost, but it's not that common.

Agree keep them off the ground by placing three pebbles underneath and put them in the 'rain shadow' against the house wall facing south.

Eenymeeny

I stand mine on pieces of bubble wrap, about the size of the base. Keeps them off the ground and offers a little bit of insulation, they seem to drain ok. (Use stones as well if you like)
No problems during the snow a couple of years ago.

Linda32

I am in the east midlands where it can get below freezing and stay there all day. I have never had one break yet. I would not worry about it.

Hedgehog99

If you've got a spare area of garden (that bit down behind the compost bin?), you can "plunge" your pots - bury them almost up to the rim. Protects contents and pot from frost and allows the shoots to get daylight. Dig them up & move to proper location when they're about to flower in Spring.