Overwintering potted tree seedlings

[tullybonnie11]

After having had several frosts already, I am thinking about my next steps for where to store my oak and apple seedlings for planting next year. I have them in pots and am looking to overwinter them in my raised beds in my garden.

My question is: will they be insulated enough planted in their pots in a raised bed or should I come up with an alternative location?

Here in this part of CNY, we are in zone 5 with low temperatures of -20 an occasional possibility in the coldest years. Planting in the beds would be much easier than digging a trench to put them in the ground. The beds are 4' wide by various lengths up to 8' with a soil depth of 12" or so.

 

[chickenlittle]

I’ve done that before, putting 5 gallon rootmaker pots into my raised beds. I’m a bit warmer here. My preference would be to plant out rather than overwinter.

I have a couple pots that have not been buried the last couple winters and they have survived. I wouldn’t recommend that approach, just been lazy with a few trees I’m not worried about.