Knowledgebase

Chill hours for container plants? #891032

Asked December 27, 2024, 10:48 AM EST

Hi there, I currently rent a house in south Minneapolis with a small back yard and am planning to keep fruit trees and berries in containers until I have my own yard to plant them in. I’m wondering for plants that require many chill hours if I leave them outside during winter and wrap with burlap/bubble wrap, etc or if I bring them in and keep them in the basement until spring? I plan to get varieties suited for zone 5 ( I’m getting blueberries, peach, pear, apple, and cherry) and know they will need many chill hours, but am not sure what to do if I’m growing in containers. Is there a certain volume of container that’s ok to leave outside for the winter? Any insight would be greatly appreciated! Thank you!

Hennepin County Minnesota

Expert Response

Leaving the containers of any size above ground in zone  4b ( although the USDA has changed the zone to 5 a very cold winter is possible) is a risk. In the ground the huge volume of soil buffers the effect of very cold temperatures. Achieving the right number of chill hours won’t be possible in a basement but an unheated garage could provide them and the necessary protection.

https://garden.org/learn/articles/view/4097/Edible-Landscaping---How-To-Overwinter-Containerized-Fruit-Trees/

https://blog.davey.com/winterizing-and-storing-potted-trees-over-winter/

https://extension.psu.edu/overwintering-plants-in-containers


https://www.davewilson.com/home-garden/fruit-variety-recommendations/fruit-tree-chilling-requirement/#:~:text=Generally%2C%20fruit%20growers%20have%20most,less)%20for%20warm%20winter%20climates.

https://orchardnotes.com/2021/01/10/what-are-chill-hours-and-why-do-they-matter/

https://extension.umn.edu/fruit/growing-stone-fruits-home-garden

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