Back in the old terra-cotta days, fall meant it was time to empty the flower pots and pack them away in the garage until next May.

They’d crack over winter if you didn’t.

These days, gardeners have widely switched to pots made out of lightweight foam resin or heavy molded plastic — materials that can withstand the freezing temperatures of a Pennsylvania winter.

Concrete, wooden, and metal containers also can endure our winters.

So if you’re using any of those in lieu of terra-cotta or ceramic, these winter-resistant containers are fair game for four-season use.

Some gardeners change out their pots three or four times a year instead of using them only for summer annual flowers.

This time of year, frost-killed annual flowers can be replaced with cold-tolerant color plants such as mums,

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