fleece and pots

[buzzingtalk]

Hi, I was wondering weither i needed to put some fleece around my outdoor pots? I have lots of pot veg/fruit as I have no garden, its a very protected area (its a small concrete block that backs onto a bit with loads of other houses backs, little wind, not loads of sun though!)

I have 6 blueberry plants in 12" pots, lots of strawbs and garlic in small pots. The rest of them (herbs) survived the winter last year with no protection so will be fine.

Also are there any other recommended things to do for pot plants over winter? Like raise them off the ground? Not that I can see how I could do that...

All the delicate plants are now indoors

[Alison]

I had some strawberry runners in 3" plastic pots outside all last winter, through the snow and everything and they were fine, strawberries are very hardy. Not so sure about blueberries although mine were fine in the ground with no protection. Oh and garlic likes it cold so long as it doesn't get too soggy and rot.

[Two_Sheds]

raise them off the ground? Not that I can see how I could do that...

You just slip some 'pot feet' under them. Or use stones or wedges of wood, anything that gives you a one inch or so gap between pot and ground. It's to stop the roots getting waterlogged and frozen.

Blueberries are not always fully hardy... it is the combination of low temperatures and wet conditions that are most damaging.

Put containerised plants indoors in a shed or garage during prolonged cold spells, or wrap the pot in hessian or straw to protect the roots.

Protect [spring] flowers from late frosts with a double layer of horticultural fleece.