Fall plant question

[Esther]

I have pots of Japanese silver fern, I guess it is called. How do I keep it alive when it is in pots. If it was in the ground, it winters over OK.

I sat the pots up against a cement porch on the north facing side of the house where it doesn't get the severe wind and cold, hoping it will live through OK. What if I threw leaves or straw over them?

[Teresa]

I think you either need to sink the pots in the dirt or make sure that you have them well insulated on the sides as well as the top.   Is there anywhere in a garage or basement where you can store the pots till spring?   

[JoshS]

If you pile leaves over the pots after they freeze up, they probably will be ok where you have them.  Just be sure they won't get run off from the roof...you don't want them to get soggy.

To be on the safe side, though, if you only have a couple I would do as Teresa suggested and sink pot and all into the ground.

[Esther]

I have 6 pots and maybe I'll take the soil and plants out of the pots and sink them some place where there isn't any grass.