MICHAELMAS DAISY CARE OVER WINTER

jjmullan46

I have first year Michaelmas daisy plants thriving in smallish individual pots. The idea is to plant them out into a strip of unused communal ground adjacent to a carpark currently full of weeds. I need to secure permission and this will take a while. Can I overwinter the daisies in the pots or would they be better off transferring to slightly larger pots and how/where best to do so to avoid frost damage. My options are :- Under tree cover? Against a wall - I have east/west/north and south facing options. And do I need to protect them from slugs. All help will be gratefully received. Many thanks, Julie

Ceres

Hi and welcome.

They should be fine in their smallish pots (I hope they are not too small) but they will die back over winter. Try to put them in a sheltered position......against a wall with some sun (should we get any) will be okay. They aren't usually targeted by slugs unless your gastropod population has some exotic tastes.

AnniD

As Ceres says, they are pretty tough plants. Unless they are particularly pot bound l wouldn't bother repotting them this side of Spring, when hopefully you will have obtained permission to plant them out 
Cut the flower stems off when they've finished flowering, and tuck them up against a wall. I would raise them up from the ground so that they don't get waterlogged,  and just check them over now and again through the winter. 

jjmullan46

Thank you both so much for your help and suggestions.  Much appreciated.