Hey guys and gals- I have perennials in containers and was wondering if I need to bring these inside or leave them out in a protected area, and whether I should repot now or in the spring. And fertilizer- do I continue to do this through the winter, or not? I guess what I'm looking for is a quick crash course of advice on wintering perennials. Echinacea, Blue Larkspur and Liriope are what I have- the rest of my roof deck is filled with annuals or houseplants that I need to take in before frost hits. Thanks in advance! Samantha
Advice for container perennials?
I have lots of perennials in containers.
Due to lack of space & poor lighting, most of the ones I have can spend the winter in their containers outside.
My best growers (and survivors) are Blueberries, Day Lilies (Stella D'Oro) Lobelia, Liatris (Gay Feather), Achillea (Yarrow), Dwarf Bee Balm, Beacon Silver, Coreopsis and Black Eyed Susan.
I also have 2 large pots with herbs - some of which come back especially assorted mints and chives.
I dig up the Calla Lily and dahlias. These I sprinkle with bulb dust & store them in shopping bags in my mother's basement (she lives next door to me).
The canna & tuberose are in 12" pots. I store them in their pots in her basement as well.
The geraniums & tropical hibiscus I keep in my home. I have some grow lights set up since the indoor lighting in the winter is so poor.
During the winter months I just move all my pots (nearly 200!) around the perimeter of the yard so I can set up my bird feeders in the middle.
This pic was taken Aug 19th of this year. My yard is totally bricked, so everything is in containers.
I'm just north of NYC - so my weather isn't that much different than yours.
(assuming by your name that you're in Philadelphia) :o)
Nancy
Gabagoo,
What a beautiful picture, so green and lush when I'm already feeling shriveled up and dry. Or maybe it's the leaves that are shriveled up and dry - it's hard to tell, when the drugstores are peddling products that are super moist to rehydrate my hair, my face, my hands. Anyway, what a lovely space you have. Is it a courtyard, between two fences or something? You might have your own microclimate!
xxxx, Carrie
Here's how it looked at the beginning of June.
That other shot - It was lush & green because it was August. It sure doesn't look so lush & green now. :o(
The wind usually comes from the west - left side of photo - so anything there is semi-protected.
I usually store all the pots on the right side. & back. This is mainly because the birds come in from the west & land on the top of the fence.
I placed the pots on that side one year & they were so covered with birdie-poop, I moved them to the other side.
The vine pole in the center serves as the bird feeder pole during the winter.
The yard itself is fenced on 3 sides with my townhouse on the 4th.
This pic was taken from my 2nd floor bedroom window.
My yard is a little over 400 sq ft.
Nancy
Wow Nancy, your yard is beautiful. I need to show those pictures to my husband. He thinks I have too many plants and I only have around 50. Gorgeous!
Too many plants?
There's no such thing!
LOL!
Nancy
Wow Nancy- what a garden! My roof deck looks a bit like your yard, although much smaller- I think its about 10x 12, and then I also used the ledges to put pots on, which was a great way to bring privacy. I used thick wire to tie down the pots as I'm on the 3rd floor and get a pretty good wind there. Its like my own little place in the country :-) I think I ended up the summer with about 75 pots and planters, many with multiple plants. The only thing that didn't fare that well for me this summer were my tomatoes- only got maybe 20 tomatoes the whole summer, although there are three coming in now- hopefully the frost will hold off until they ripen (they're reddish green). I'd share pictures, but I don't have a digital camera right now. I am getting ready to move this January though, and one of my prerequisites is a place with either a nice sized deck or yard- can't give up my gardening as the bug has really bit me!
Samantha
Gabagoo: Do you water by hand or do you have an irrigation system? I find I do fine watering by hand 95% of the time, but that 5% when I forget can do in my plants. So I'm thinking about installing some kind of irrigation system.
All my watering is done by hand & Mother Nature.
I have 2 hoses (Actually, 3).
One is in the lower left (not seen in the photos). I have a 2nd hose attached to that one that runs along the right side to the back - where the bench is. There's a 3rd coiled hose attached to that one. You can see it on the bench in the 1st pic.
This is the 1st year I did this. It makes it much easier than dragging the one hose all around the yard.
That was too much work - especially later in the season when the plants have filled in to the point where my "paths" have become filled in.
It takes me about an hour to water everything. It's a great way to unwind after a day at the office.
Nancy
Nancy, do you cut your perennials back for the winter, or do you leave them as is till spring? I can't remember what's best to do. I think I cut them all back one year which turned out to be a big mistake.
Nancy,
You mention 'bulb dust' in your first post to this thread. What are you talking about? I'll soon be digging up MY dahlias and am not sure how to do it yet...
xxx, Carrie
Judith -
I generally cut them back (haven't done it yet, though) after they all dry out.
I haven't had any problems.
I'm going to have to divide some of them next Spring. I really should have done the day lilies this year but never got around to it.
They didn't do as well as in past years and I suspect it's because they were so cramped.
Nancy
Carrie -
You should be able to find the bulb dust at your local nursery.
It comes in a can with a shaker top so you can sprinkle it on your bulbs/corms.
It's a white powdery stuff.
It helps prevent rot.
I put my dahlias & calla lilies in a paper shopping bag, sprinkling them as I put them in to make sure they are all covered.
I store the bag (opened) in my mother's basement where it's cool.
In the Spring when I retrieve them to replant, I leave whatever dust is on them & just plant them in their pots.
The callas have usually already started sprouting.
I always amazes me that they know it's time to grow.
Nancy
Thank you, Nancy. I think my "local nursery" is Home Depot - would they have it?
xxx, Carrie
They might.
It would probably be in the aisle with the plant food.
Nancy