It’s late fall, and it’s time to think about your outdoor planters and pottery, especially in our North Carolina mountain region where winters can get quite chilly. And not all outdoor containers are created equal.
When your big, beautiful glazed pots, simple terracotta pots, lightweight resin or fiber-blend pots, plastic pots, and concrete pots filled with gorgeous, summer-blooming annuals are officially done for the summer and fall, what do you do with them? Store them properly!
Let’s look at the different types of planter materials and determine the best way to take care of them.
This clay pot full of succulents needs to go inside for the winter. Neither the pot or the succulents are winter hardy.
Terracotta Planters
These should go inside or be protected. Don’t leave terracotta pots outside in winter. These are non-glazed, porous clay pots that absorb moisture, creating a freeze-thaw heaving that can break or chip the pots. They’re great in warmer weather because the pots breathe, allowing air to circulate the roots of the plants, but they’re missing the necessary protective sealant from the cold.
Winter Care Tips
- Store your terracotta pot indoors for the winter — a garage or shed is acceptable, so long as it stays above freezing.
- Be sure to remove all plants and soil, clean the interior of pots with one part bleach to nine parts water, and let it dry completely before storing.
- If you need to leave outdoors (say you don’t have room to store them or are planting winter topiaries) then try a clay pot sealant. Your local hardware or hobby store should carry it. If you can’t find the clay pot sealant, try stone sealant. It’s quick, dries fast, and is easy to use. Another fix that you might be able to do immediately is to line the pot with leaf bags. The bag helps keep moisture away from the pot, but you’ll need to remember to adjust your watering accordingly.
This ceramic pot is sitting on a the stone, a hard surface. It isn’t used for container planting, but does stay out all year, as water drains away from the pot. Notice the stone is slightly tilted for better drainage.
Glazed ceramic pots like these can stay out all winter. Once these mums are gone, winter container gardens can be planted. Just remember that your winter containers need watering, too. Root-drench them at least once a week.
Glazed Planters
These can stay outside. Ceramic, glazed pots are heavy and hard to move. Once they’re placed, do you want to move them? Probably not. The good news? You don’t have to, but you do need to follow a few handy tips…
Winter Care Tips
- The pots should sit on a hard surface to drain well, not flush with dirt or grass. Raising it up on pot feet is even better, as water will flow away, avoiding the inevitable mess on the deck or patio.
- Do not use saucers that collect water; when the water freezes, either the saucer or the container will crack. The goal is to keep water running through and away from the containers.
- Or, turn them upside down and store them in place.
- Best Advice: Keep water draining by planting a winter container garden. The soil will keep the pots evenly moist, and you’ll have pretty arrangements to enjoy all winter.
Concrete containers come in all styles, from fun to traditional. In winter, they’re easy to plant; just add evergreen conifers and grasses with a few pansies for more color and voila!
Concrete Planters
These can stay outside. This is good news, due to their weight and size. Eventually, like all pots, they will chip or crack, but sometimes moving any container around can be harder on it than leaving it in one place. Moving one and potentially banging it into things can cause tiny fractures that become cracks.
Winter Care Tips
- Plant a winter garden! Instead of large, blank pots all winter, add topiaries or evergreens that give winter interest.
- Otherwise, remove all plants and soil, clean the interior of pots with one part bleach to nine parts water, and let it dry completely before storing.
- If you’re still worried about leaving your concrete planters out, you can top them with a container cover or tarp. If they’re small, turn them upside down and store them in place.
Hypertufa pots can stay outside all winter, as well. This one is planted with a selection of small conifers.
Plastic, Resin, and Fiber-blend Planters
These can stay outside. The summer sunlight breaks down plastic quicker than the cold. The resin and fiber blend is frost-proof, but will be fine in the freezing temperatures of winter. If you decide not to plant them for winter, clean them out and store them indoors.
Winter Care Tips
- Check for brittleness or small fractures that may have formed over the summer. UV damage can make plastic brittle, especially in thinner or lower-quality pots.
- As with all pots, remove soil, wash with a bleach solution, rinse, and dry well if storing indoors.
- Fiber-blend and hypertufa containers—those rustic, stone-like troughs made from cement, peat moss, and perlite—are also well-suited for winter, and can typically withstand freezing temperatures with ease.
Winter doesn’t have to mean empty containers and broken pots. With just a little preparation, your planters can thrive—or at least survive—until spring. Whether you’re storing them away or creating something beautiful to brighten the colder months, caring for your containers now means less hassle and more joy later.
Need help choosing the right winter plants or care products? Stop by the garden center or reach out; we’re always happy to help you keep your garden growing strong, season after season.
