Over Wintering Potted Plants

williams111

5 year old buck +
Im starting to think about heeling in the potted plants I didn't get time to plant this year. I dread digging them in, but that is what I have done in years past. My question is have any of you stored them in an unheated garage/shed successfully over the winter? If so did you have to water them at all throughout the winter? They are on the south side of my house where they get a lot of sun. I had a couple spruce seedings last year that I forgot to heel in and they survived the winter just sitting on the patio. I have some Apple, Pear, Chestnut, Oak, Persimmon and PawPaw in pots that I need to figure out what to do with. Thanks!
 
Yes. I do it all the time. That said, my winters here are not that severe. If they are covered they will probably need to be watered.
 
What zone are you in? I'm in 6A and usually surround my trees with old hay bales, but last winter I left some just sit out and all survived.
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I’m in zone 5, what species of trees have you done this successfully with? Thanks!
 
apples and pears.
 
Its a gamble not heeling them in, less of a gamble heeling them in - its a how much you like them / how much you dont care risk ratio to weigh out....

Your rolling the dice with the freeze thaw cycles especially in the sun on the south side.

Being frozen doesnt kill you trees it is the freezing then unthawing, repeat repeat repeat that kills them. I would say in general you got lucky, heeling them in, or piling up on them some type of cover to prevent cycling of thaws is what counts. Anything is possible at least once maybe twice maybe more but they will kack eventually not heeling them in. It sucks but just do it. My advice for what it worth.
 
The last couple years I’ve had a few apple trees in pots that I couldn’t get planted. I dug a hole in the garden and put the pots in there, then covered them in compost. No problems in the spring.
 
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