Over wintering potted trees?

[catscratch]

Just curious as to how you guys carry over potted trees for the winter. I have some trees that I'm not sure I want to plant this fall. Some of them are just small, weak, and stressed. I'm not in a position to care for all of them if planted like I should...

 

[Kabic]

I tried just moving potted chestnuts into my garage where they would be a little warmer versus outside....only about half survived. Maybe try to bury them, or mulch them really good. Other may have better experience.

 

[CAS_HNTR]

I would recommend doing what I did last year.......I basically buried them pot and all into my veggie garden. I had all of them live and only had issues because a rabbit got in and ate some off over the winter!

One some of them, I plated them outside of the pot and then just dug them up and moved in the spring.....burying the pot or temporarily planting the tree both had good results. I think the key is you need to get them below ground and surrounded by soil.

 

[Jeff H]

^^ basically the same here. I've heeled in bare root tress in my garden spot with great success. Always south facing. I bury potted shrubs and flowers I never got around to planting in my garden area every year too. Again South facing and out of the wind If I can.

 

[DougG]

I overwintered 2 dozen different trees in my garage, where the temp was around 35-40 most of the winter and i had all survive. just added some water every couple of weeks to keep things moist

 

[catscratch]

Thanks guys for the suggestions. Guess I'm a little limited as I'm in a new place and haven't built a shop/garage yet. Looks like buried pots (or sucking it up and finding time to plant and care for them) is in store for this winter.

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[Nebraskaz71]

First year I put all mine in an underground storm cellar, they froze solid the entire winter but came back outta it just fine in the spring, last winter I kept them in my basement but it stayed 50-55 the entire winter so they got buds sooner than I had hoped but still not to bad.

 

[dogdoc]

Now we don't usually have super cold winters but do get some but I keep mine in my vegetable garden and cover with old hay and mulched leaves. I have done that the last 2 winters and haven't lost a tree.

 

[catscratch]

Hay would be good if I could keep our winter winds from blowing it all over the place.

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[Needmorebrush82]

Now we don't usually have super cold winters but do get some but I keep mine in my vegetable garden and cover with old hay and mulched leaves. I have done that the last 2 winters and haven't lost a tree.

How are you keeping the mice and rabbits from eating your trees? I am considering this method but not sure screen will protect them if they are covered in hay. Have you had an issues with this? I have a terrible issue with mice this yr and working non stop to kill them.

 

[CAS_HNTR]

We dont have mice issues but I will be using chicken wire over winter to keep deer and rabbits off my trees.......i used some cheap vinyl fence last year and the Fn rabbits learned they could just bite through it. Lost ALOT of trees to them!

 

[letemgrow]

Keeping them mulched or covered works and another issue is if they get dry through the winter. Burying them pot and all would be the best option, but given time and effort. Mulching them all works great too.