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first time dormancy and the first sub-zero temperatures of the season

Forecast calls for a high of -1 and a low of -7 celcius. My VFTs are in 6" diameter plastic pots outside. Should I put them in plastic bags to shield them from winds? There is also light snow forecast one night.

Thanks for all your help so far.

Adam
 
...Just bring them in? Or keep them in an unheated garage.
 
An unheated porch, garage or cool windowsill for the during the extra cold weather should be fine until the temps get mild again.
 
..and attic with a window...
 
Thanks, I think I need to do something outside, as the whole house is pretty warm. I don't have access to attic or basement. We're renting the main floor of the house.
 
You could also uproot them, and put them in a tub with some LFS moss and put them in the fridge, until winter is over.
 
This might work:

Protect them from wind in bags, mulch/insulate with pine needles, straw, shredded newspaper, bubble wrap or Styrofoam packing material. Use a like a 5 gallon garbage bag, a layer of insulation, your pots in trays with a touch of water and bury in insulation. Place near a wall that gets the least exposure to wind if possible. You could put them, insulated, in garbage cans with lids. Just make sure they don't get dumped out or trash dumped on top of them.
 
I will do the insulation and in garbage bags until the freeze is over. My only worry is without the air circulation, will there be fungus growth?

Also, is it still possible for the pots to freeze? All insulation does is slow heat transfer - it doesn't stop it.

They are getting rained on as we speak, I'm guessing there will be no need to have any water for them to sit in as the media will be sopping.
 
I think my pots froze solid due to record lows in my area, and the pots were not even fully outside, there were in gallon ziplock bags on my open window sill. The temps got as low as -1 F.

Will my plants be alright?
 
  • #10
hopefully.. bring them inside on a cool window that faces south.. bring outside once over night lows don't hit freezing anymore.. if they are ok, you'll see new growth
 
  • #11
all my vft's were in pots and minibogs and all of them survived. We had -7 celcius or so for a week with a few days heavy snowing. It's still freezing from time to time now.
I don't know why everyone worries about this, imo they can handle it. And if they do not survive you've filtered out some weak specimens.
 
  • #12
Where abouts do you live? I ended up being chicken and putting them inside when the temps were below freezing.. I found a spot that's by a window with a draft. Temps didn't get above 5 degrees celcius while they were there. I'll be more daring next winter!

Adam
 
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