It depends on what you mean with "prickly pear"; some Opuntia should survive, for others it would mean certain death. Some Opuntia can take a lot of cold only if dry, others tolerate water. I have grown cacti and Jovibarba on a balcony similar to yours, and at similar temperatures. I only dared to grow Opuntia fragilis and compressa uncovered, the rest were in a "mini-greenhouse", a small steel frame with a PVC cover, which worked well. On really cold nights I put a blanket over it. The Opuntia looked much better when ovewintered in the mini-greenhouse.

Hi PinkieMarie. Thanks for starting a provative post. I've successfully overwintered peppers for many years. I leave about 6 to 8 v-shape 'crotches' maybe 4" long with leaves still attached. The plants go into a state of semi-dormancy so you will get some leaf drop. It's all good, it's the roots that count. I recommend giving a good watering every two weeks only. It's a good practice to fertilize them once mid-winter. As far as the aphids go, I really dislike chemicals. Besides, if you use them indoors you could breathe the toxic fumes. You can spray with a soapy water solution (hit them with a direct spray) ...1 tsp. of dish soap mixed well with 16 oz. of water. This is a good all around control for garden bugs. It suffocates soft bodied garden pests (aphids) by suffocating them because they breathe through their skin. It kills hard bodies insects by giving them a permanent case of dysentary. Also, keep an eye out for ants in your potting soil. They actually 'herd' the aphids to milk the sap from them....much like we milk cows. You can control the ants with citrus rinds placed at the base of the plants. ...they don't like them. Good luck with overwintering your peppers pinkiemarie. Fiery REgards, Pepper Joe

Thanks! I think I will do something different with each pot. I should have bought 4 as a science experiment. Woody, did yours have flowers on it when you brought it into the garage? What do you use as the determinant for when to bring them in? End of blooming? Or outside temperatures? We have had unusually warm temperatures here. It will be 55 F today, nighttime ~ 35F . Its been like that for weeks, occasionally higher in the daytime. These are blooming heavily; also with no browning out of petals on the top like on the cushion mums I bought at the same time. It’s funny: I was googling “chrysanthemum shapes” after posting, to see if I could get a name for what I have, and ran across a page from the University of Minnesota, discussing the cultivars they developed. I clicked on “Upright shapes”, and the second one there it looks just like the one I have. http://mnhardy.umn.edu/varieties/flowers/chrysanthemums “Centerpiece.” Though they call it midseason, defined as Sept 1-15. Could be what it does in the ground. The label on mine said coral, and “rose lavender” IS closer. Maybe it is not the same one, but it sure looks like it. The petal shape “Quill/spoon” is the same. I am now pretty sure this nursery gets some of their starts from the University of Minnesota, or uses their patented stock, as I recognize names I saw out in their mum display. FWIW, I have bought so-called “perennial” mums in late spring several times in the last few years, and none have survived the winter.

Overwintering your pots under a hedge with added soil sounds good Karin. Maybe I should try that! Yes, I did lose Great Expectations---in fact I lost two of them! The good news is that I still have two left---my largest one and one other that is doing very well (knock on wood)! But I am very disappointed to have lost them, especially GE. And they had been growing well. Don't give up littlebug. Start a new thread and we will help you solve the reason the two Guacamoles perished. Mae, I know it is sad when you lose your pots. It is also frustrating not to know why. You could bury your pots (when dormant) any way you wish I believe. But it is important to make sure they are completely buried with no pot rim exposed to accumulate water on top to freeze. Also the soil should have good drainage and not be a low spot in the garden where water accumulates. If you are worried about doing it, try it with one of your least favorite hosta. And remove it when ground thaws and before the torrential rains!