Indoors

• Give smaller shrubs the most protection in winter by storing them inside a shelter. A shed, garage, basement or an unheated room in your house that stays between 30 and 40 degrees Fahrenheit are locations that protect shrubs from the elements while allowing them to slip into hibernation naturally. Inspect your shrubs for insects before bringing them in your home and use an insecticide if necessary. Bring the shrubs into the shelter, set them on newspaper or a drop cloth and water them once a month. Fertilizing is not necessary until spring returns. Help your shrubs gradually adjust to the outdoors in the spring by setting them out during the day and bringing them in at night until the last danger of frost has passed.
  
  

Above Ground Outdoors

• If your shrubs are too large to move, insulate the containers to protect the delicate roots. Wrap thick sheets of bubble packing material around the containers and secure it with weatherproof tape . Wrap the top of the shrubs with burlap and secure it with twine. After the last hard frost, remove the insulation and burlap.
  
  

Half Buried Outdoors

• If you can't provide shelter for your shrubs, you can help protect them from freezing temperatures outdoors. Dig a hole in your yard or garden for each shrub several inches larger than the container. Line the sides and bottom of the hole with hay and set the pot inside. Cover the potting soil with more hay or mulch and water the shrub monthly except during serious freezing conditions. Wrap the top of the shrubs loosely with burlap and secure it around the base of the shrub with twine. After the last frost, remove the pots, unwrap the burlap and refill the holes with dirt.
  
  

Fully Buried Outdoors

• If your winter temperatures are extreme, bury your shrubs completely in your garden and dig them up in the spring. Dig a hole for each shrub that is greater than its height and deeper than its width. Water the shrubs, wrap them in burlap and gently lay them on their sides in the holes. Cover the shrubs with soil and hay until winter has passed.