Most of my containers just stay out in the elements over the winter. But I do have a few that I give special treatment.

I move my containers of Abutilon against the wall of the house under the porch roof. I do have to give them occasional drinks through the winter, but they go semi dormant and seem to do well.


I check my tender succulents for pest and bring them indoors after applying a systemic for bugs and insects. I have nice bright east/south facing windows to put them in.


I also bring in my one and only tropical Hibiscus (double peach). Boy do I love this plant. I also check it for pests and give it a dose of systemic and bring it in the little sun room. It does beautifully indoors for winter and even gives me an occasional bloom for winter cheer. : )


I also have a wonderful Gloriosa Lily the floraSeeker_OR gave me last year. Once it starts going dormant I put the pot in the garage for the winter and let it dry out. This worked great for last winter. I was so happy to see it come back this spring once I put it back outside and started watering it.
This year I want to try saving two great geraniums I got this spring. I will have to research on how to do the method of making them go dormant and not die.


I was going to try to overwinter coleus for the first time, but have changed my mind. I just don't have the space for them.

That's about it for me.
What do you have, and what is your routine for winter storage?

My container contents are at the curb.
I pull all annuals and shake as much potting soil as possible.
I cut off the plants that are totally rooted in the pot.
I top off the containers with new soil in spring.

I use containers for summer annuals. Those I chop up and add to the compost. Potting soil gets chopped up with a spade and also added to the compost or a garden bed. I store any ceramic pots in my basement, plastic ones are stored upside down under my deck.

Karen

I take all my small pots into the carport, the big ones stay out all winter. I have heuchera planted in many of them so try to keep the pots looking good all year. With the heuchera in the large pots it cuts down on the amount of annuals come spring.
Mine are all plastic except one big coffee cup. I just can't move those ceramic ones, too heavy. I'm zone 7 and we have a ton of rain and only small bouts of freezing. A week or two at most then it warms up but can do this several times a year. Just depends if the wind blows down from the Fraser Valley.

Sounds similar to our winters here in the Willamette Valley Spring. : )

Oh yes, they would be Lynn. Are you close to Portland or more south. I see you are zone 8 so maybe more south. I looked over on the Pacific coast forum and get Zone envy. Love your Abutilon!! I have a couple as well Tiger something blossom is yellow and red and then a peach veriegated leave one. To late to go out and check names tonight.
When we get a cold blast I move them into the garage then back out them it warms up. Seemed to work last year.

I live about 20 miles west of Salem. Where in WA do you live?
I know we are due for a real winter any time now, I might do like you and put my abutilon in the garage this year. Do you water them at all over the winter?
I would love to see photos of your abutilon.

The tender plants I want to keep come in and go into a south window. I cut back the pelargoniums and basil before bringing them in.
The hardy potted plants that don't die back such as sempervivum and some sedum get a chicken wire "hat" to keep the squirrels and rabbits from eating them. This also prevent the squirrels from digging up the plants when trying to bury their nuts in my pots.

I love your idea about the chicken wire hats tabby.
Since most of mine are in raised beds I bought some of the black bird netting. I am going to put stakes along the sides of the beds and put the netting over the stakes. It should be easy enough to remove so I can weed this winter.

That sound like how I put netting over my water gardens to keep the leaves out. I stuck rebar stakes in the ground around the garden, but then I put black polytubing on the rebar, bent over from one rebar stake to another one the other side of the garden. This made hoops over the garden which made putting the black netting on very easy. The netting and tubing are very easy to remove come spring. This also works well for providing hoops over tomato and pepper beds for putting a tarp over them in order to extend the season past the early frosts.

Wow tabby, now you have my brain going. I love that idea with the hoops, that would give me year round protection from birds, rabbits, squirrels, raccoons and the every present feral cats.
Thank you so much. : )

Lynn


Here is one of my Abutilon. Guess the name is gone.

Full shot



The other one. No Name on that either.

Here is one I grew from seed. Poor sad thing, not enough heat this summer.
The cages should do the trick. Good idea! Sorry not very god pictures but you get the idea. Raining here today.

so neat looking

Spring, would it be this one? http://anawaltlumbernursery.bl...
What a beauty you have there.

Your variegated one looks to be Abutilon x hybridum 'Savitzii'. I lost mine this last winter. : (



Can't wait to see what your seedling will do.

love them!

Allison they are so much fun and so easy to care for year round. I fell in love with them some years ago.

you know I love fancy foliage

I'm with you on that one Allison.

Me three!!! Foliage
Yes you are right, Tiger Eye. Was your Abutilon hybridum savitzii blossom a vey pale peach? Yours looks brighter than mine. Just got that one this spring. Is it much more tender than Tiger eye. I have Had Tiger eye for 2 seasons.
I seed grown one will die and I will grow some new ones in the spring. Just have so much room to save plants. I took cuttings of both of those if they take your welcome to one.

nice!!