How to Grow Daphne in a Pot

Consider the site and your preferences before you make a purchase. Time of flowering, degree of hardiness and shade tolerance vary among daphne cultivars, notes the Royal Horticultural Society website.

Purchase a plant from nursery stock, as daphne does not propagate easily through seed or cuttings, but buy young plants and transplant them with care. Daphnes do not respond well to root disturbances, so when you transplant your shrubs, do not try to expose or trim back their roots. Plant the entire intact root ball.

Choose planters appropriate for the form of daphne you select and containers that will accommodate growth of the plants. The shrubs come in many forms, including rounded, spreading and erect. Taller daphnes will need a heavier base to prevent them from tipping in high winds. Spreading daphnes may need a long or wide planter for greater soil contact.

Select a planter that drains well. Drainage is the most important facet of care for these plants, according to the University of Idaho Extension. Pot your plant using a soil mixture that is loose and sandy, such as a sandy loam. Allow the soil to dry between waterings.

Provide a location that offers either full sun or partial shade. Deep shade will negatively affect both the health and appearance of your shrubs.

Move your plants indoors, or provide protection against winter temperatures. While the cultivar Carol Mackie is cold-hardy to minus 30 degrees Fahrenheit, the roots of plants grown in pots do not receive the same protection as plants grown in the ground, and root damage may occur due to temperature changes. Add protective coverings and insulating material in layers around the plants and their containers beginning after the first hard frost, recommends the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension.