Many potted plants have to be moved from the terrace to the garage or apartment before the first frost in order not to freeze. If you want to save yourself this trouble, you should plant hardy plants in your pots. Below you will find out which ones are suitable and how you can additionally protect your winter-hardy potted plants from frost.
Which plants are suitable for winter-hardy container planting?
Winter-hardy potted plants include boxwood, ivy, Japanese maple and rhododendron. Hardy asters, bearded flowers or peonies are suitable for lush flowers. Protect these plants in winter by covering the soil, wrapping the containers and watering them regularly on frost-free days.
Evergreen hardy potted plants
A green terrace even in winter? This doesn't have to be a pipe dream. There really are potted plants that are not only hardy but also wintergreen, such as:
| Name | Special features | Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Boxwood | Very cut-friendly | Can be grown as a hedge, privacy screen or as a figure |
| Ivy | Poisonous! | Climbing plant, is wonderful as a privacy screen, but attacks facades |
| Fan Maple | Beautiful red leaf color | Can be grown as a bonsai |
| Firethorn | Attractive red or orange fruits, slightly poisonous | Mostly grown as a column in the bucket |
| Houseleek | Is good for rock gardens or mini stone landscapes in pots | Small Succulent |
| Cherry Laurel | Poisonous! | Suitable for privacy protection |
| Laurel Rose | Poisonous! Beautiful pink flowers | Bushy |
| Mahony | Beautiful yellow flowers | Bushy |
| Rhododendron | Flowers profusely and in strong colors | Bushy |
| Skimmie | Beautiful flowers, red berries | Small ornamental plant |
| Holly | Poisonous! Attractive red fruits | Small, bushy |
| Dwarf pine | Pretty cones in autumn | Small coniferous tree |
Summer green flowering plants
If you rarely go out on the terrace or balcony in winter, but value lush flowers in summer, you can choose one of the following flowering, hardy potted plants, which lose their leaves in winter. but sprout again in spring. These plants are more delicate than their evergreen counterparts and should definitely be wrapped up well in winter, as described in the care tips below. When buying plants, you should also pay attention to their winter hardiness, as differences can occur depending on the variety.
| Name | Flower color | Flowering time | Winter hardiness |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aster | Many different colors | variety dependent | Mostly well hardy |
| Beardflower | Blue to violet | August to October | Conditionally hardy |
| Christmas Rose | White | Between January and April | Good hardy |
| Sedum | Various colors | variety dependent | variety dependent |
| horn violets | Various colors | All year round | Conditionally hardy |
| Iris | Various colors | variety dependent | variety dependent |
| Peony | White or pink | April to June | Good hardy |
| Phlox | Various colors | Summer to fall | Very hardy |
The right care in winter
The potted plants mentioned above are hardy, but that doesn't mean they don't need winter protection. To be on the safe side, you should cover the soil with brushwood or leaves and cover the pots with bubble wrap (€34.00 on Amazon), coconut mats or another insulating material. It is also recommended to place the pots on Styrofoam to protect them from frost from below. It is particularly important that plants need water even in winter. Snow and ice do not provide moisture. The potted plants may not freeze to death in sub-zero temperatures, but they can die of thirst if it is very cold for a long period of time. Therefore, use frost-free days to water and protect your hardy potted plants, especially in the event of prolonged frost, with the measures mentioned above so that the pots do not freeze completely.
