November 22, 2024, 2:56 pm | Read time: 5 minutes
Hardy potted plants can be kept outdoors all year round. myHOMEBOOK presents a selection of suitable plants.
It is always advisable to find out about the plants you are planting in your garden. Tropical plants, in particular, do not tolerate the winters here. If you plant them in a bed, you have to dig them up before the onset of winter and move them to winter quarters. This is not only a lot of work but also stressful for the plants. It is better to grow them in containers. This way, they can be transported to their winter quarters without stressing or even injuring the roots. Hardy potted plants can be placed in their place in the garden.
Overview
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Hardy potted plants that survive the winter
Ceanothus (Ceanothus)
The Ceanothus captivates with its magnificent blue flowers. A real garden blessing is that the plant can also be cultivated in containers. Depending on the variety, it is moderately hardy. It can withstand temperatures down to minus ten degrees Celsius. However, it needs a warm winter jacket made of jute or fleece in case of severe frost. It also helps if you place the plant in a frost-free location, such as a covered patio. In this way, it can be kept in the garden or on the balcony all year round.
Sheltered from the wind and sunny – this is the ideal location for the sack flower. A spot against a house wall or a boundary wall is particularly suitable. The soil should be light, well-drained, and not too moist. The hardy potted plant does not tolerate waterlogging. It should, therefore, be watered sparingly – especially in winter. To encourage a bushy growth habit, the shrub should be pruned back in spring.
Dwarf lilac ‘Palibin’ (Syringa meyeri ‘Palibin’)
Dwarf lilac ‘Palibin’ has a beautiful flower that is not only visually stunning but also exudes an intense fragrance. This small shrub can be cultivated both in beds and containers. The dwarf lilac is hardy and tolerates temperatures down to minus 25 degrees Celsius. As a container plant, it can, therefore, also overwinter well outdoors.
It should be planted in a sunny spot. The soil should be well-drained and slightly alkaline. Hobby gardeners should water the hardy potted plant regularly, especially when temperatures are high. It is important to avoid waterlogging. After flowering, targeted pruning promotes the growth of the shrub.
English rose
If you come from England, you must be able to cope with lower temperatures, right? That’s exactly the case! Many varieties of English roses are robust and frost-hardy. They can, therefore, spend the winter outdoors as a container plant. However, to protect the roots from heavy frosts, you should still use fleece or cover the soil with brushwood and wrap the pot with jute. This protection will ensure that the roses bloom vigorously and healthily again the following year.
A sunny to semi-shady location is also important. The substrate should be nutrient-rich and well-drained. As with all roses, English varieties also need pruning in spring. Forsythia serves as a reminder. When the yellow flowers of the shrubs appear, it is time to cut back the hardy container plant. During the flowering period in summer, you can support the flowering splendor with regular fertilizer applications.
Love pearl bush (Callicarpa bodinieri)
Another hardy potted plant is the robust love pearl bush. In the colder months, the shrub adorns the garden or balcony with purple berries. The plant feels most at home in a sunny or semi-shady spot with a loose, humus-rich substrate in a pot.
The love pearl shrub is considered easy to care for as it requires little water. It is, therefore, better to hold back on watering, partly because it does not tolerate waterlogging. The shrub should be pruned in February, approximately every two to three years.
Dwarf cherry (Prunus fruticosa)
The dwarf cherry can withstand temperatures as low as minus 20 degrees Celsius. The frost-resistant potted plant can, therefore, be left outdoors without any problems. It is best to choose a sunny spot in the garden or on the balcony. The soil should be well-drained and slightly acidic.
The dwarf cherry is an easy-care plant that only needs to be watered moderately. Regular pruning promotes branching and compact growth.
Snow forsythia (Abeliophyllum distichum)
The name already indicates that the snow forsythia is robust and hardy. Its white flowers add a splash of color to the garden in spring. With its intense fragrance, it is literally a magnet for bees.
However, it needs a sunny or semi-shady spot to bloom magnificently. The substrate should be loose, well-drained soil. After flowering, cut back the snow forsythia. This will keep the plant healthy and compact.