Fall Time Bulb Storage

I only have 1 Dahlia - I never bought more after I found out they were slug and deer candy - and I have never dug it up. It's been in the ground for somewhere between 5-8 years now.

The only thing I have to dig up is one Elephant Ear bulb.

After reading about how much work is involved, I'm glad I don't have any more tender bulbs.

Muddy, your dahlia's been in the ground for 5-8 years? And it keeps coming back? Even after last year?

Yes. I don't like digging bulbs, and whenever I tried they died anyway, so I started leaving it in the ground. I put a lot of mulch on it last year, maybe 3" of shredded leaves and shredded maple stump.
It could be that I planted it deeper than recommended, but I don't really remember.

Muddy--

You reminded of a question i wanted to ask:

We have the smaller Elepohant Eats at the HD--and they just got
reduced to $3. It says on the tag they grow from 3'-4' tall.
SO--they are NOT the monstrous size some of you have.

These have the usual dark leaves-are in 1gal pots-and are close to 3' tall.
One of the cashiers bought 3 of them. I promised to find out whether,
for the winter, you have to:

- you have to dig up the bulb and keep it stored--?
-take the pot inside and grow it all winter in the house--?
-take the pot to your basement and let it go dormant--bulb still in pot?

Anyone? Thanks. Gita

I have a dahlia that I'm willing to experiment with (freebie from yehudith) so I'll be leaving it in the ground to see how it does in my garden.

My guess on late season clearance elephant ears- inside the house for sure.
Will probbly have to come in every year.
Keep watering or let it dry in pot either is fine.
But I would not be surprised, if they gave those EE a good location and care next year, that they could blow up to six feet. I just don't trust the tag.

I would guess the one I have is actually a Black Runner. the runners on the thing are unreal. I'll be tempted to pot some...here we go....anyone want a black runner baby next year, with future potential of over six feet tall and leaves couple feet long? or it gets mites, and struggles to keep four leaves at one. Can go either way LOL

I hope it works for you, ssg!

Sally, the Black Runner looks really cool, but I'll pass. I like Elephant Ears, but I don't have a good spot for a tropical garden...I only planted the one I have because my youngest daughter gave it to me as a present. Hmmm..if I dig it up it'll die, and if I leave it in the ground it'll die...

Ooh, I like that Black Runner, but I already have a black EE.

Muddy, I've had very good luck overwintering EE's. They just go in a paper bag filled with peat.

Come to think of it, that's the only way I overwinter any bulbs indoors. If they can't survive that treatment, they don't deserve to be in my garden! LOL

I wasn't as likely to use plants that needed to be dug back up come fall as I am now. When I worked I just didn't have the time for it.

Lovely day to dig and chop off my Elephant ear, can I do it though? These pretty days are great for the work, AND at the same time make you want to put it off and give the plant another day !

I looked at the tag on the Elephant Ears plants we have oin clearance (@ $3) at work,

They are--- Elephant Ear Ilustris--aka Imperial Taro--Synonym--Colocasia Antiquorum.

http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/53145/

I know you won't be able to open the link-none of them work anywhere today.

Gita

The veins are pretty. No thanks.

I copied and pasted the link.

I'm facing a similar dilemma with my Zinnias and Nasturtiums, Sally. They still look beautiful and I don't want to dig them up, but they're just placeholders for perennials I want to plant in their places. So far I've potted all of the annuals I've dug up, but I know I can't do that with theNasturtiums and I think the Zinnias would really resent it.

Yeah, you have to weigh the chance they will take to the pot against your time, and the few weeks more you might enjoy them, I am in reverse, I have perennials hogging the places I would have put fall Pansies into.

I cut all the runners off the EE. Fifteen runners. Still have the main plant, huger than I've ever imagined it, plus two side shoots, each bigger than I had before..

The seven foot tall side of the Strlitzia, I seperated (broke) off and set aside, that leaves a section with couple leaves up to four feet or so and it has two new side shoots starting- figured that is plenty big enough to hold over for next year.

Canna- dug the one with dark leaves, it grew well, washed it with hose, discussion made me feel lazy or guilty about the 'shake the dirt' method I tend to rely on.

I have Canna australia, the only hardy Canna I think. They've stayed in the ground during the last several winters too.

hm...kinda looks like what I dug up. If I decide where I want it next, I'll put some or all back in, and mulch.

Sally, you plant fall pansies? I've done that before too but they end up being rabbit food so I don't do that anymore.

I guess I should say I USED to since I don't have them yet. When I do, and plant them along the driveway, they have the sun all day and the house behind them. It is warm enough almost all winter there for constant pansy bloom and I see them everyday too.

I need to go to Lowes this weekend, so I'll pick some up and fit them in when I can.

Last fall I tried them in big pots by the door, and with the cold, and colder shadier location, they froze out.

Sounds pretty, I sure do like them but then so do the rabbits..

Jeff--

Would rabbits leave them alone if you sprayed hot pepper sauce on them?
I know squirrels don't touch anything sprayed with Capsaiscin.

I used to plant pansies around the edge of my small,round bed in front
of the house where the Kk Hibiscus lives--but very few of them made it
through the winter---so I don't any more.
Instead--I have planted the perennial Dianthus and they seem to do better.

G.

Yeah they might G but I look at is as time I can focus elsewhere in the fall. There's enough to do rather than worry about papa bearing a few pansies. I thank you for the tip though as I'll add that to my repertoire of things to do for plant protection.

LOL ROFL!!!!

oh no, poor donner!

I like pansies and I used to plant them - mostly in the spring - but I stopped a few years ago. I can't remember why but, like Donner, I must have had a reason.

I'm interested in trying a new kind of cold weather plant - Claytonia perfoliata - even though it won't bloom until spring.
There was an article about it in The Washington Post: http://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/home/claytonia-a-green-for-cold-months-ahead/2014/09/29/b7d2ba60-433b-11e4-9a15-137aa0153527_story.html

That's pretty but it looks like it could be a rabbit magnet.

You're right; I hadn't thought about that. That's the last thing you need!

I think that one might be among my spring-blooming "weeds." Anything that dies back in summer heat I don't really worry about -- looks green in spring, gives the bunnies something to eat other than crocus buds, seems fine to me!

I finally dug up all the caladiums and more callas. The caladiums are rather small in comparison with the ones last year. The callas are very health and have multiplied. I have a few calla 'Picasso' tubers to share. Please let me know if anybody is interested.

dooner--

is it important to dig up Callas??
Mine was pretty spectacular. Only 2nd year! Near black blooms!

I left mine in the pot it is in and it sat in my basement all winter.
In spring--I started watering it a bit and it sprouted. It had many stems--
whereas last summer it only had two.

As of right now--the pot is still sitting outside--leaves all limp and hanging down.
Many I pulled off already.

I have not dug up anything yet! All my spare time has been spent getting
my plants ready for bringing them in, situating them, taking Coleus cuttings, etc...

Now that most of that is done--I feel a bit more relaxed. A good feeling...

I need a bit of advice!
Should I cut my Hibiscus back NOW before i bring it in, or should I keep it all winter
How far should I cut it back? In it's current stage--it is still blooming and lush.

Have NO idea where I can keep it so it gets some good light.
OR--IF I cut it back--does it even need any light as it will be dormant?????

Please--I need all your experienced opinions.

Thanks--gita

#1 and #2 fron this July.
#3 from last year's July.

Donner, I'd love to try a 'Picasso' tuber, please!

Gita, here's what I got about my tropical Hibiscus care from tapla
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1342820/

Thanks, sally.

Did you do as tapla suggested? How did it work out?

Since that was last November--did you leave it dry and dormant?
How was the "recovery" when summer came?

Since I really do not have a sunny place to put it, letting it go
dormant would be the easiest. Right next to my 2 Clivias in the basement.
Of course--there will be light, quite often, from the shop lights.

Can anyone else share how they have overwintered their Hibiscus?
Keeping it growing is not an option to me. NO sunny windows!

Thanks--G.

Jill, I will bring some tubers to you.

Gita, Callas are probably ok wintering over in your garden. SSG doesn't dig hers out either. It is colder where I live so I do not want to risk it. Calla tubers are extremely easy to store. I put them in a pot filled with peat moss or potting soil, and leave the pot in the garage.

Gita, I did leave it dormant, looked horrible, did NOT repot in spring (or did I? can't remember if I took it out of same pot and freshened it), it grew out nicely but did not bloom until August. Still, it looks very nice NOW, so... I guess I'll do it again.

Sally--

Did you leave it dormant 'as is"--or did you prune it back to sticks?

Mine is SOOOO gorgeous! What a great buy--getting an all green Hibiscus
and having enough faith that it WILL be spectacular. I could just tell....
I sure don't want to lose it. May go see on the Hibiscus Forum,,,,

gita

did not prune
that is gorgeous

I got a tropical hibiscus when Joyanna was a baby, so I could put a bright blooming plant right next to her big "playpen" on the deck and not worry about whether or not she ate it. LOL (She didn't eat it -- it was too pretty)

I didn't succeed in overwintering it. I think I need to learn to give "dormant" plants tiny drinks every couple of weeks...

There is a lot of info on overwintering Hibiscus on the Hibiscus Forum--
in the "stickies" at the top.

I started reading through it last night, but it got late and I had to hit the sack.
Will continue--as time permits--to see all the options I may have.

I don't want to second guess my random decision to do this or that.
I want to be more informed.....My Hibiscus. is too beautiful to lose...

I was destined to buy it--as it sat there, a big, round ball with nothing
but green leaves. NO sign of buds...but the leaves looked so shiny and healthy.
Came back to work 3 days later--and it was still there--amid all the flowering ones.
All it said on the pot was...."PINK".. I bought it that day. It had my name on it...

G.

Gita, my hibiscus was not in great shape when I first got it, and I haven't done anything special, and it's survived two winters. They seem to be really resilient.

That's my current gut feeling on all tropicals. They have to be resilient to endure the extremes of the tropics, the only extreme they haven't conquered being freezing weather. Not saying constantly trouble proof, but able to bounce back.

This message was edited Oct 22, 2014 6:00 PM