Like most of you I have been busy sorting
and repotting those tender flowers and plants
to bring in for the winter.
Yesterday was a difficult day just deciding what
I wanted to overwinter. It is hard to let go of some
of the flowers that have been faithful bloomers over
the summer but I do not have the space and the proper
lighting for some of them.
Temperatures in the lower 30's that is coming in
forces us to choose.
Some of the favorite geraniums were repotted to
bring in but there are others that will be pulled
from their pots and cleaned of the soil to hang by
their roots in the basement this winter.
The Gerbera was put in a new container and
brought in to see if it will over winter in the house.
I have never tried to overwinter one so I am not sure
if it can be done. Do any of you overwinter yours?
The Mandeville was brought in in the hopes that
I can keep it alive until next spring.
The Lantana is ready to move indoors.
And so was the Purple Heart.
I brought in the little Fuchsia but do not
have the highest hopes for the poor thing.
Other will go by the wayside when the frost
hits us.
The Nicotina that I planted for the first time
and fell in love with will be gone but seeds were
saved for next spring.
The petunias will also be gone,
But I have their seeds. Although the odd three
colored blooming petunia plant never went to
seed. Too bad, I wanted to see what it would do
next spring. I did save a petunia plant all winter last
maybe I should try to keep the odd petunia indoors.
Happy Gardening Everyone!
have the highest hopes for the poor thing.
Other will go by the wayside when the frost
hits us.
The Nicotina that I planted for the first time
and fell in love with will be gone but seeds were
saved for next spring.
The petunias will also be gone,
But I have their seeds. Although the odd three
colored blooming petunia plant never went to
seed. Too bad, I wanted to see what it would do
next spring. I did save a petunia plant all winter last
maybe I should try to keep the odd petunia indoors.
The purple or blueBrowillia will die out but it is so easy
to grow from seed.
The mounds of Impatiens are so tender it will
not take much to stop them cold.
The one Dahlia 'Edinburgh' I have will be brought in
after the frost also. I see so many beauties in
all of your garden beds but mine has yellow leaves
so it must not like where I had her.
The Nikko blue hydrangea that has finally gotten
buds had better bloom fast before the frost get her.
Time to get out the covers.
What are you all bringing in for the winter?
I would really like to know.
to grow from seed.
The mounds of Impatiens are so tender it will
not take much to stop them cold.
The one Dahlia 'Edinburgh' I have will be brought in
after the frost also. I see so many beauties in
all of your garden beds but mine has yellow leaves
so it must not like where I had her.
The Nikko blue hydrangea that has finally gotten
buds had better bloom fast before the frost get her.
Time to get out the covers.
What are you all bringing in for the winter?
I would really like to know.
Happy Gardening Everyone!
22 comments:
Well, I am not going to bring in any flowers. I put my house plants outside for the summer and they will come in. My 2 Christmas cactus, regular cactus on the porch, amarlyiss from two years ago,pointsettia, dish garden with kalanchoe,some herbs (rosemary plants)I will bring my strawberry jar into the garage, my sedum around my canning jar and the ones in my shoes will come into the garage too.I only have so much room to keep these plants and my selection will be difficult as you say. They have bloomed for me all summer.
Balisha
Well since I am in North Florida, there are an abundance of flowers/plants that will return next spring. I will bring in the Begonias and that's all I can think of right now. What in the world do you mean by hanging plants by their roots?
I too must start bringing my most tender plants inside. Sigh!
Hi Lona~~ This is the time of year I wish I had a heated greenhouse. It wouldn't have to be big...just a safe place to winter the tenders. Thankfully we have fairly mild winters so if the temps dip below 25 or so I can bring things in until the warm up.
I bought an Australian Tree Fern at Home Depot this spring. It has doubled in size over the summer...I also have a tender banana tree, about three feet tall...these are my two biggies that I would hate to lose.
Let's keep our fingers crossed.
I hope I can remember everything you mentioned:
I kept a gerbera in the greenhouse last winter -- sunny windowsill will work as well.
Many of the plants you mention, like purple heart, lantana and nicotiana survive outside here where we have no snow and the expected lows are upper 'teens. Fuchsias do not like our heat and humidity, but Mama had a friend who successfully brought one through the winter and had blooms in the spring.
I bring in tropicals and some tender plants. I take cuttings of alternanthera, Persian Shield and stachytarpheta to grow in water until spring, recut the cuttings and root them timely for warm weather. Impatiens and coleus can be kept this way as well. They all get leggy, but then I just root the tips.
I like to pot up pentas, pineapple sage and begonias to lend winter color inside. I always force some hyacinths in water and stones for winter bloom.
Before I had a small greenhouse, I kept all these same things over winter in the east-facing utility room in the sink and on the counter under the windows.
You can see some of what I'm talking about if you search the cloud tags at the bottom of my blog.
Nell Jean - Seed Scatterer
I've had great success overwintering gerbra daisies.
What do you do to overwinter the lantana?
This is a very interesting subject! I am bringing in Rosemary, Geraniums, A chenille plant, coleus, Lobelia, I never have brought that in before but it was so late I thought what a shame to let it go.
Do you know anything about begonia bulbs? I am trying to find out if I can save those two.
Rosey
I grew geranium cuttings on my kitchen windowsill two years ago (that's the only place where I remember to water them enough). Last year it was Big Blue liriope. This year I'm going to try starting seeds from my hardy agapanthus and seeds from the liriope. Should be fun!
Lona, Here in the South I won't bring anything in. But the heat of the summer has thinned the plant population considerably. I remember living in Upper New York State and choosing what to bring in. I also forced bulbs for winter color.
I am in the same boat you are friend...I hope all that you decided to save survives and thrives for you!
Your Dahlia is absolutely breathtaking. Best wishes to all of the beauties you are bringing in for the winter. :) Rebecca
Hi Lona, the Mandeville does look like Desert Rose flower. Gosh it is hard work isn't it? Bringing them into the house... space etc... Anyway, I hope you are well rested today. I enjoyed your garden just by looking at the pictures of flowers posted here. Have a great day!
Lona, that is one BEAUTIFUL dahlia! I'm glad you're making the efforts to save these lovlies. I've dragged pots into the garage a few times but to dig plants up and store...I'm not there yet!
Balisha: I have a Christmas cactus too but it really blooms in November, I brought it in and it has buds already. Hope they do not drop off. The only sedum I have is Hens and chicks and they brave the weather nicely.
Darla: Geraniums can be pulled up and the soil shaken off and then you hang them upside down in the basement.Just make sure they do not dry up, you may have to mist them a couple of times. By next spring they will be sprouting and ready to be potted up again. Saves on room keeping them.
Mother nature: I know girl it is sad to be ending the growing season.
Grace: I can see where you would like no to lose those and bring them in. Wish I lived where the temps were milder.
Nell Jean: Wow. you bring in a lot. I so wish I had a small greenhouse for my plants. It would save a lot of deciding what to keep.
Robin: Oh I am so glad to hear that Gerbera can be overwintered. I am going to try it and see if I can keep from killing the poor things. Nothing lost in trying. I bring in my lantana because I thought it was an annual here.
Rosy: You bring in a lot also. I am afraid I let my poor coleus die. I have no luck with rooting or I would save more cuttings.Clean your begonia bulbs up and bring them in. Keep them in a cool,dark place. I use old mesh potato or onion bags to put them in and hang them in the basement. Panty hose legs or knee high hose would probably work too.
VW: Starting seeds is always fun and frustrating at times for me but I spend two months in the winter dreaming of what seeds to start ;-)
Mary Delle: LOL, I have to laugh because last winter I forced some Paper Whites and they stunk so bad I had to throw them out. Hyacinths were better but hit and skip on growth.
Tootsie: Gal I want to borrow your greenhouse ;-)
You will need it because of your long winters.Bummer.
Rebecca: Thanks, I will need the good luck. Some years it goes well and others not.
Stephanie: I am rested and ready to drag some more plants onto the porch. Frost tonight.
Lynn: That is why I only have one poor dahlia. I had some tubers that did not survive once so I hate to invest in too many but I love the blooms on them.
I'll be trying this!! Thank you for taking the time to answer my question..
The lantana is an annual in my zone 5 garden. I tried to grow it from seed with no success. I covered them last year, but they still didn't survive the winter.
I'd love to propagate it or overwinter it somehow. I have five of them, I may different things to see what works best.
You took some really beautiful pictues. I really enjoyed my visit here this morning. I sure have missed all my friends in blogland this summer. I am so glad to be back.
Debbie
I have never heard of hanging plants through the winter. I group all of my plants together then toss blankets on them as needed. The more tender ones come onto the back porch. My problem is having to rip out summer plants to put in my fall/ winter plants, it hurts my heart..lol Hugs, Cherry
I too am having a hard time figuring out what I want to bring in. I was hoping my greenhouse would be up by this time of year. We have been so super busy working on all the little things like FOUNDATION to put the structure up. I am hoping the 38* weather doesn't 'zap' my favorites.
Happy Harvest - I love your Ohio Blog!
Brought in the plants and picked 20 green peppers from the garden. Things are winding down . Have a great day.
Fortunately, here in Central VA, frost is not coming as soon as by you. However, I certainly keep watching as the overnight temps are slowly going from the 60's to teh 50's and once or twice high 40's.
I have alot of big containers that I need to handtruck into the garage and house. They are mostly tropicals like plumeria, ginger and banana, and then there's the bougainvillea and alstroemeria. By the time I get all those huge containers in, I rarely have the energy to save the little guys but will try some more this year. I will save some lantana as I never have tried before. My blue daze won't overwinter. I've tried 2x. My dahlias JUST bloomed so I'll try to remember to get them in just in time.
Happy Day!
Robin: I cut my Lantana back last winter and kept it under the lights on my mini green house and it did not even go dormant. It is bigger this year so I well keep it in the basement and hope it comes back in the spring.
Debbie: Glad to see you are back and we are all looking forward to your postings and pictures.
Bren: I am so jealous that you are getting a green house ;-) I think it would be so wonderful. Loved your new Mums.
Joe & Linda: I have a few green tomatoes left but everything else is gone.I am so discouraged about the Brandywine experience that I am not caring if they get ate by the deers or frozen ;-)
Colleen: I noticed you had so many wonderful Tropical plants and just figured you lived in a warmer area. You do have a job bringing in your.
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