How do I protect my garden pots in winter?

Buying good quality garden pots is not one of the cheapest investments. In addition, even those for a few hundred zlotys can crack due to frost. Therefore, before the minus temperatures come it is worth to prepare them properly, because they will be able to serve us for many years to come. How to protect garden pots from winter?

The most important thing is to cleanse

The first step in preparing garden pots for difficult winter conditions is to thoroughly clean them. It is best, of course, when we do not store any plants in them. Let's get rid of the sand, the roots, the fertilizer. If you have hard shells on the bottom you can remove them with a blunt spatula or a foot spatula, but let's do it very gently - any damage to the structure of the pot can cause its faster destruction.

Then rinse the pots thoroughly, both inside and out. We can use a mixture of vinegar and water in a ratio of 1:10. Such a solution will not only improve the removal of stains, but will also give a flash to the pot.

And now, the most important step - we have to clean the vessel very carefully, because if we do not do this, the water can be located in the cracks and in case of frost will cause almost immediate cracks. Use paper towels and cotton rags for this purpose.

In the course of winter

It would be best if all the pots could be stored indoors, but this is often impossible. Even if the pots are made of materials that can withstand frost, additional protection will most likely be the best solution to extend their lifespan.

There are several ways to protect garden pots:

1. Place bricks, wood or polystyrene under the pots to isolate them from the substrate. The temperature is much lower on the ground, so these areas of pots are the most vulnerable to damage. In addition, excess water is released through the lower holes, so it is better not to touch the vessel directly.
2. Pots that cannot be lifted can be protected with bubble wrap used for packaging or foamed polystyrene. It will warm both the pot and the roots. Remember that the plant itself can only be covered by natural materials such as agri-textile or straw, because it must have a constant access to air.
3. Special size covers for different pots and planted plants are available on the market. Their price is relatively high, however, as in the case of pots - it is an investment for many years.

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