winter protection for plants outside of my zone

I was wondering if somebody has tried covering plants with a straw or hay bale over winter to keep plants alive that are not hardy to their zone. I just wondering if that would work on a bed alone the south side of the house and how much difference a square bale or several would make. Anybody tried that yet?

Hi

Mostly i put them in pots that i bury in summer and then dig them out and put them in the barn. I tried with fall leaves to protect a few plants. it worked for potatoes but my rosemary died. last fall i tried straw bales over my two year old physalis il let you know how it turned out.

Hi!
Yep. Do that. It's a method that's been used for a long time... Thousands of years? but won't get you from zone 5 to 7. It will keep your various stored in the ground at zone 5-6, and maybe get some of your zone 6 stuff to make it through a zone 5 winter. And, the more of these protections you use, the more likely it will make it through. I did hear of a citrus tree making it in a cold climate with enough protection, but I haven't tried that yet. Good luck!

hi
with that much of a zone difference how do you keep late frosts from killing the fruits or flowers? do the fruits have enought time to develope? what are you growing? im curious what i might get away with bending to my climate without a green house.

I am thinking mostly flowers. I hate to dig and store. I doubt I get away with dahlias (zone 8 ) but was thinking maybe anemone and snaps