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Preparing Pots, Fountains and Pumps for Winter By Ron Dieter, Sunnyfield Greenhouse & Gardens October 27, 1999 Just when you think you've got the garden all ready for winter, you notice a pot or two that needs to be cleaned up and put away. While you're doing that, you spy several other projects to be done before Jack Frost hands the seasonal reins over to Old Man Winter. Terra cotta (clay) pots don't survive winter's chill very well. The clay absorbs moisture that freezes in cold weather causing the pot to flake away. You'll notice the flaking first appears around the rim of the pot. Some imported clay pots are ornately decorated and it would be a shame to have them flake and crack. To store clay pots and planters over the winter, empty them of any soil or potting mix. Use a stiff brush to free up any soil particles clinging to the clay surfaces. I like to clean up the pots and then let them dry out by setting them outside on a warm windy fall day. Then I move them into a building where they will be protected from winter sun and snow. There's no need to store them in a heated building. Just put them out of the weather. Large cast concrete pots and planters can be difficult to move. Some are too heavy even for most people to turn over. Such pots may have to be left in place. In that case, clean them out thoroughly, as you would a clay pot. Make sure the drainage hole in the bottom is open and free of obstruction. To keep out snow and ice, cover the top with a heavy sheet of black or white (not clear) plastic. You can fasten the plastic down to the pot using one of those black rubber tarp straps. By the way, you can make this chore easier next year by using a liner in the pot- sort of a pot inside a pot. Find a nursery can, the kind shrubs and container trees are potted in, that fits nicely into your decorative clay or concrete planter. Fill the can with potting soil and plant your flowers and foliage. Then put the nursery can into your decorative pot. When fall arrives, you can lift the liner out of the pot and dump it on the compost pile. Your fancy pot is instantly ready for winter without the trouble of cleaning it up. Garden statuary may also need some winter preparation. Over the years ornaments made of concrete will gradually erode away and some of the fine detail may be lost. If you don't want that to happen, you'd better take them inside. I have a statue of Peter Pan that has been out in the weather for about ten years. He's taken on a lovely weathered appearance that I like very much. I think he has much more character now than when I first acquired him. While you're putting away your garden paraphernalia, don't forget your fountains, bird baths and pumps. Unless you plan on using a heater in your birdbath, it's best to empty it out and turn it over. But give some thought to using a heater. The birds will appreciate having some open water for drinking and bathing during the winter season. Fountains need to be drained and covered and the pumps put away where they won't freeze. Several companies make vinyl winter covers for fountains and patio furniture. A combination of heavy opaque plastic and tarp straps will do the trick too. Submersible pumps last longer if stored under water. Keeping them submerged prevents the gaskets and seals from drying and cracking. Whenever I'm doing a few of these fall garden chores I'm mindful of the fact that in six months or less I'll have to reverse the whole process. And each year it seems those six months go by a little faster. |
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