Perennial Plants for Container Gardening
Comfrey (Symphytum officanale)grows from bombproof rhizomes to form lush leaves up to 2 feet (.6 m) long and displays dainty blue flowers. It grows well in shade and has a soft woodsy look, like Ostrich Fern (Matteuccia struthiopteris), one of the few ferns that qualifies for the hard-to-kill category.
Prickly Pear (Opuntia spp.)is a cactus that’s easily propagated by setting a piece of it in the soil. It’s known for the fiesta of brightly colored flowers that appear in summer and goes well with Ice Plant (Delosperma spp.), a smaller, but equally tough succulent that forms a thick groundcover and sports daisy-like flowers.
Tips for Overwintering Perennials in Pots
Depending on rainfall you may need to water your pots into the winter months, or until the soil freezes. This means that as long as temperatures are consistently above 32 degrees F, you’ll want to check occasionally to make sure the soil isn’t dry. Feel the soil with your fingers, if the top two inches of soil feels dry to the touch, you should give the plant some water. Also, you do not want to apply fertilizer during the winter when the plants are dormant. When new growth starts emerging in the spring, you may resume routine watering and fertilization.
The soil in your planters can become compacted and depleted of nutrients over time. It’s a good idea to remove the plants from the pot every three years to replace the soil. Doing this in the spring will get them off to a good start. This is also the perfect time to divide plants if they seem overcrowded. Use the plant divisions to create new planter combinations or share with plant-loving friends and family!
Will day Lillies come back each year if they are planted in’s a pot?
Hi Patty,
There are many dwarf daylily varieties that would grow well in a pot. Look for varieties like ‘Stella de Oro’, ‘Purple de Oro’, ‘Happy Returns’, ‘Rosy Returns’, ‘Little Business’, ‘Baby Betsy’, ‘Bitsy’, and ‘Apricot Sparkles’ – just to name a few of the many miniature daylilies that are now available. These dwarf hybrids typically grow no taller than 18-24” (45-60cm) and bloom over a longer season than their larger cousins.
Like any potted plant, dwarf daylilies will eventually outgrow a pot after a few seasons. At that point you can simply divide them at the roots. Refresh the soil in your pot and replace with a plant division. Dividing your plant will leave you with extra plants for potting, growing in your garden, or sharing with others. If you live in a region with hard winters, be sure to follow the “Tips for Overwintering Plants in Pots” to keep your potted daylilies safe through the winter.
Do you have to water plants when you over winter them?
Hi Jeanine,
Such a good question we amended this article with more information. The answer is “yes”, you might need to continue watering your potted perennial plants as long as the temperature remains above freezing. Feel the soil with your fingers, if the top two inches of soil feels dry to the touch, you should give the plant some water. Once freezing temperatures set in, you can withhold watering and resume in the spring when new growth appears. As always, coordinate your watering with rainfall.