GARDENING
Winterproof your planters
Dressing your house with outdoor plant displays and décor is a gift to your neighbours. While many houses dress in their finest during the holidays, the décor doesn’t have to end when the Christmas tree decorations are put
Wonderful winter containers that can take the cold
away. We can still celebrate the beauty that is winter with elegant outdoor plantings around our front door. However, living where the temperature dips (or even plummets) during the winter months means we must take some time to consider outdoor plants, pots, and
STORY AND ILLUSTRATIONS BY LAURA LAVENDER
décor that can take all that winter might bring. Here are some ideas for winter potted displays that will look great until the snow melts.
Pots First of all, we need a container to display our potted arrangement. Not all outdoor pots are cold weatherproof, and we need to select with care. Icy cold can wreak havoc on pots, as when the temperature dips at night, then goes up again during the day, pots can crack when the water in them freezes and then thaws. The same phenomenon can create an event called frost heave in the ground, where the creation of ice in the soil can push plants and bulbs right out of the soil. In addition to the damage to plants, a frost heave can add even more pressure to pots.
Pots that can take the cold For the most part, metal, plastic, wood, and fibreglass pots can survive freezing temperatures. With metal pots, especially cast iron, it is advised to keep them well painted as protection. Keep an eye out for rust on metal pots and take measures to remove it as the rust will eventually deteriorate the pot. With regards to plastic, it is best to avoid purchasing any new plastic due to the steep environmental cost. If you still have plastic pots in use, they can take a few seasons of freezing temperatures, but eventually, they will degrade in the sunlight and crack.
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ah! Winter 2021–22
At Home on the North Shore
