Prepare Pots For Winter

By Phran Novelli

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - Quick, empty those pots before they freeze!

Did they freeze already? Well, it's not nearly as bad if fragile outdoor pots endure a night or two of freezing temps, as it will be if you leave them out there for weeks, months, or all winter to fill with rain and snow and freeze and thaw…and freeze again.

That repeated cycle can crack lots of pots, even many that claim to be 'frost resistant.' Believe me, frost 'resistant' doesn't mean frost 'proof' and if you want proof, I have plenty of pots that I've cracked over the years by leaving them out in the cold too long.

So, bite the bullet, get out there, and pull out those annuals, dig out the soil and put your pots in a sheltered area. If you can't bring your pots indoors, try to at least cover them. Or empty the soil and turn pots over so they can't fill with water and freeze.

It's also nice to scrub pots out a bit and stack them carefully so they're ready to go next year. You'll be so happy when it gets warm again in spring that they're clean, and you can just start planting!