r/Zone6Gardening

Because pots are less insulated than in-ground plantings, I’m trying to choose plants that can handle winter root exposure and temperature swings. I’d especially appreciate advice from anyone who has successfully overwintered natives in containers in the Midwest.

Here are more specifics that I hope can be helpful.

• Location: Missouri, zone 6b/7a
• Goal: native plants that can stay outside year-round in pots
• Light: full sun (on a deck, south side of house)
• Containers: pots (with drainage) ranging from 5 gallon to maybe a quart
• Interested in: pollinator plants, grasses/sedges, and anything lower-maintenance
• Open to: perennials, small shrubs, sedges, etc.

Also, if you have recommendations or prior experience keeping things in a garage, up against siding, etc. over winters then please let me know what your experience has been. I really appreciate it. Thank you!!!

Hello! I live in CT and have gotten into veggie garden this summer. I kinda wanna keep growing stuff in the fall after the summer season is over but i don't know where to start. I'd like to start from seed if possible. It's my first time. I've read about radishes and leafy greens being good options but please let me know which seeds to start!

May & June really got away from me with travel and company and I am just now realizing as I stare at my half empty garden beds.... I forgot to plant most of my flower seeds. Got all the herbs and veggies, but I still have bulbs for dahlias, I have ranuculus, and Zinnia just sitting about that I meant to plant way before now! Do we think it is too late to throw these guys out near Chicago, IL? The packaging does technically say through June for the Zinnias but would they even have time to flower and establish at this point?

Edit to add that I am also super open to suggestions for other flowers to plant in my zone at this time! The comments give me tons of hope and motivation that I haven't missed out!

I have a huge bed on top of a stone wall along my driveway which is quite long. This is my first year gardening so I have no idea what I'm doing and the deer eat everything. I recently planted some foxglove based on reading they're deer resistant, spread, attract pollinators, and they're just pretty. I had no idea that they're extremely toxic. They're not in an area of my property that my dog or kids go near. I don't know if it's just the internet being dramatic but it sounds like they have to be handled with extreme caution. Am I going to regret planting these? Or did I let Google freak me out?

This is my 4th season of vegetable and herb gardening, plus I’ve gotten a little into flowers. I’m still learning and testing the limits of how close I can plant vegetables and herbs, and so I’m wondering:

Can folks make suggestions of what to plant - especially flowers - in the blank dirt spaces that exist in my vegetable/herb garden?

I essentially want something that would act as a little carpet, preventing the weeds from making a home in those empty areas.
I’m hoping for something that won’t grow too tall and won’t crowd out my veggies/herbs. My neighbor recommends Sweet Alyssum. I was wondering about thyme, but I grow that and haven’t experienced it becoming a “carpet” the way I’m envisioning.

I’m pretty well versed in companion planting, so just throw me your suggestions and I’ll figure out if it works with what I have.

Thanks! 😃

Hello everyone, So we didn't get much rain or cold weather this past winter so none of my wildflower seeds germinated. Now it is raining and will rain this next week. I'm thinking, logically, that now is a good time to plant even though it is summer. I'm talking perennials here both in plant form and seed form. I usually would wait until Fall but I'm afraid we won't have enough snow fall once again to water plants naturally. What do you all think? How are you gardening differently in this drought?

I live in Michigan and I was hoping to plant an asparagus patch this year but hadn’t gotten around to it. Is it too late? Any advice?

I have about 15 tomato plants I don't know what to do with. My garden started late this year (6b CT) because first my Dad was very ill and now I have Epstein-Barr virus. I've had Epstein Barr for 3 weeks, giving me two hours of energy in the busiest time of the year. The 15 plants are hardy and I wonder if they'll catch up if I can get them in the ground. I have about 50 in the ground that are doing well. I have to prune the bottom leaves on just about all of them. Tomorrow is a bimonthly fertilizing day for the garden (that's going to take a couple days ) Do I put them in the ground or stick with trying to keep up with what I have?