how to save impatiens and begonias over winter?

Can anyone give me some advice on how to save my impatiens and begonias over the winter? I have a fairly large planter full and would really like to not have to buy any again next spring.

I have Tioga impatiens and Fiesta double impatiens and I don't recall about the begonias

I also purchased a rather large hanging Begonia basket this spring that did extremely well and the person I bought it from said to just quite watering it in the fall and when it is dry store it in a dark, cool basement until spring and then just simply start watering it again. This sounds too easy to be true. Any advice from those of you that are more experienced?

Thanks,
Brad

A friend of mine just brought her impatien planters inside and put them in the window. They didn't do much during the winter and she kept them fairly dry but didn't allow them to wilt. When she put them out this spring, they went crazy! I've never seen such huge flowers. Don't know about begonias. Are they tuberous? Are you supposed to dig them?

My mom who is NOT a gardener at all saves her Impatiens each year by putting them in her basement. They get light (not a whole lot though), very little water, and cool conditions.

Thanks much for the advice. I have searched several sites but just couldn't get any details on how to overwinter. Maybe someone knows of a good reference book on overwintering various plants that would apply to the northern climates?

lotton, I'm in Z4b. SW Wisconsin. I'm planning on digging a couple of each color/variety impatiens I want to keep from my garden. I may try keeping a few plants alive this winter, but my main experiment will be to keep cuttings going through the winter. I've had such wonderful success with impatiens cuttings thoughout the summer that it seems a real waste for me NOT to try. (BTW I root my impatiens cuttings in perlite and water...and they seem to go crazy. They root in a short time and even bloom abundantly while still small "rootlings" (A new word??? :-D)

~julie~

Thanks for your input slyvi and NCG...

Brad,

Regarding your hanging Begonia....when it starts to die back, stop watering it. It will go dormant for the winter and then when it starts to warm up outside, start watering it and give it a small amout of fish emulsion fertilizer. It will come back and love you for taking care of it.

Donna

i've kept an double impatient for 3 years now
I have it in a pot
I cut it back and root the cuttings and just keep the original plant in a south facing window till spring
Very prone to spider mites though

Thanks,

I have quite a few plants so I may try several methods. Always looking for good suggestions