I never can over winter butterfly bushes, I am planting a big garden of them and didn't get them all planted, have tried to over winter them before and they always die, this year decided to try and keep them in the garage, I really need these for next year lol Should I wait until it freezes or go ahead and put them in right now? I still have a bloom on one they haven't gone dormant yet and it's suppose to freeze real soon, like probably the end of this week maybe? It's raining tonite and a cold front is coming in.
I am outside trying to get plants and shelves up, will be back around 9.
Thanks in advance for any help I can get :)
Lea
Need advise on butterfly bushes please
Well, LeBug, I just transplanted mine last week from one garden to another and it looks fine if that means anything--
Are you thinking of putting them in the garage over the winter? Or getting them in the ground this week. I didn't quite understand your question....
And I'll be interested to find out what others suggest...
Good luck. t.
Are you sure they're dying? In colder zones, the top will die back in the winter, but if you cut them back at the right time they should grow again next year. You're zone's not cold enough to kill them completely, I think you're just seeing their normal behavior. I would check with someone from your zone on when's the right time to cut them back, I think it's probably early spring but I don't know for sure.
I'm making an assumption that by "butterfly bush" you mean a Buddleia davidii cultivar, if it's a different species of Buddleia this may not be true, and if you're referring to another plant entirely that also goes by the name butterfly bush then this advice may be way off base as well.
I put them in pots, don't have my garden done all of the way, and I have planted them this late before in the ground and they have died, I have about 6 left and afraid to put into the ground this late anyway, don't want to lose them again lol I put them in big pots and just wondered if they would be alright in the garage, but don't know if I should put them in now, just watered them in real good and now it's going to rain tonite, and turn cold and probanly freeze this weekend. I put them in big pots last year and kept them outside and lost them. Now I'm wondering if they will make it in the garage after being in the rain, no air circulation in the garage lol What to do lol
Am I making sense now? I'm just freaking out lol
Thanks t,
Lea
Yes ecrane3, they are Buddleia, a wine color and some yellow ones, They are not dying yet, just afraid they will, I have no luck keeping them outside during the winter and was just wondering the best time to put them in the garage, I'm going to try that this year and hope they make it, I just wonder if I should after they freeze or before, they haven't gone dormant yet and are still blooming but it is suppose to freeze this weekend. Will you send me some of your warm weather, I sure could use it lol
Cal. is great, used to have realitives in Monterea (sp).
Thanks for your response!
Lea
Ecrane is right. They're probably not dying. They are late to leaf out in the spring but that doesn't mean they're dead. They're hardy to zone 5 so your winters won't hurt them. They will survive better in the ground than in pots.
My bed isn't ready yet, I can't plant them now and am wondering if I should put them in the garage, I have tried to over winter in pots before with no luck, maybe I should just dig a hole before it freezes, this weekend and put pot and all in the ground? It's suppose to rain tonite and tomorrow morning, guess I will just plant the pot in the ground, at least the clay soil will be easier to dig then. They are not dying now, they are still blooming :)
If I read you post correctly, the buddleia spent last winter in pots outside. I wonder if the problem was that the roots were frozen because they were above ground rather than in ground. If the spot in the garden isn't ready, perhaps you could put them in pots and put the pots in the ground somewhere else and then transplant them in the spring.
I don't think that much can survive in pots in our zone unless the pots themselves are buried. I over wintered a rose in a pot in my garage very successfully, gave it a little water now and then. It broke dormancy a little early, but I put it outside on warm spring days and brought it in at night till the danger of frost had passed.
I leave the top growth on my buddleia until spring. I have an idea that it provided extra protection.
I try to over winter in pots but no luck, I'm not very good expressing myself, sorry, the ones that I am trying to over winter now I bought this year, but just haven't had the time to finish my bed for them so I only have them in pots (3 gal.), everytime I try to over winter in pots they die on me so I was wondering if I could put them in the garage and they would be alright? I just watered them and don't know what I should do with them to keep them alive lol I really don't want to dig a hole that big in this rocky clay soil right now lol
I don't trim mine until Spring either, when I have tried to overwinter them before, in pots, I always wait until like mid summer before I throw them out, just to make sure they are not going to come back.
Lea
Can't you just go ahead and plant them? You know, deciduous shrubs and trees don't just stop growing in the winter. They put on root growth that you're preventing by leaving them in pots. And butterfly bushes have a huge root zone. They need a lot more room than what they would get in a pot.
And, like lillyo said, the roots would freeze. If you absolutely have to leave them in pots, then bury the pots in the ground or at minimum bury them in mulch. I mean up to at least the tops of the pots in the ground or mulch.
To keep them alive with minimum labor, it's between the garage or heaping soil around the pots outside to reduce the risk of freezing. I sure do agree with Hart, better to protect your investment and put them in the ground. How about putting them in the garage for a week or so until you can put a hole in the ground?
Sorry--when I said they would survive winter in your zone, I assumed you were talking about plants that were planted in the ground. Most plants won't survive winter outside in pots in your climate unless you do what hart and lillyo suggest and sink the pots in the ground, then they have a chance but they'd still be better off planted directly in the garden.
You know a lot of people say plants won't survive the winter unless you put pot and all in the ground, I over winter pots all the time, I just put them all together and after a freeze I mulch with leaves and they almost all come out of it in the Spring, I have over 300 gals. outside right now, I've just never been able to over winter the butterfly bushes this way.
I do trees this way too, well, I did a corkscrew willow four yrs. ago and is real happy right now planted in the ground, but he was in a pot for two years, just kept putting in a bigger pot and I have a Blue Spruce that is going to over winter this year in a pot, that was a give a way at the nursery, hope he makes it lol
When it quits raining I will dig some holes and put my butterfly bushes in the ground pot and all, don't want to take any chances with these, thanks all for your advice :o)
Lea
Putting things in pots that are left above the ground over the winter gives the equivalent effect of being a zone or two colder than you actually are. If you're growing things that'll survive down to zone 3 or 4 then they may do fine in pots as long as the soil doesn't freeze solid, but I think the Buddleia's are only hardy to zone 5, so you'd probably have to be at least in zone 7 or so before they'd do well in pots that weren't sunk in the ground.
Thanks ecrane3, I dug holes a while ago and put them in, they say we might have a freeze tonite, I hope they have more of a chance this way :)
Lea
I live in zone 5 and have 6 butterfly bushes. They die back during the winter months...but late spring they send up new starts from the ground and do very well.
Agree with Ecrane3 that the survivors in above ground pots must be extra hardy. Do you have 300 above ground pots? Good grief, that's alot!
I hope that those butterfly bushes do well. They are such great plants. I never remember seeing one until the past few years. Where were they hiding?
The return time of my buddleia is quite variable. The ones in the more sheltered locations can come back a month or a month and a half earlier than those in exposed locations. I was digging up what I thought was a dead buddleia this summer and saw some shoots. It went right back in the ground and survived. I'm thinking that they are marginally hardy in this area (zone 6) because every year I loose one and hear the same from friends.
I've never lost a butterfly bush in the ground and yes I have at least 300 pots, I sell plants lol I need to go out and count them for sure, just been so busy transplanting, I very seldom lose one in the winter, last winter I lost 3 I think but it was a wet winter, kept going out uncovering (leaves) and covering back up when it got cold, thought I lost a bunch of hostas but they came up, I don't think they ever dried out last year. I just bunch them all up and cover with leaves, this year I have 3 bunches lol
I can't wait until Spring, it will never get here lol I want to plant about 20 butterfly bushes in this one spot I have, should be beautiful when they are all in bloom and going to have my collection of Hibiscus next to them, is it Spring yet?
It got down to 30 last nite :(
Lea
Lea,
I have a nursery, and butterfly bushes are one of my problems. They are hard to overwinter in pots. And the yellow ones are the worst. I think you did right by putting the pots in the ground. Make sure they are covered right up to the rim, and be sure to water until hard freeze.
I also winter over pots by putting them pot to pot above ground like you do, but had no success with the butterfly bushes.
I have had good luck with overwintering them by planting them in the ground in the fall. But mostly I have given up on them overwintering, and just buy new flats each spring. A start from a flat makes a pretty good size pot by late summer.
I don't know if you grow ornamental grasses, but I've found if I put some of the more tender shrubs or perennials between rows of the grasses they do well over the winter.
Good luck with them, and let us know how they make out.
Polly
So the yellow buddleia are less hardy, that explains why they are the ones that didn't come back!
The yellow ones are not easy for me either...I have lost two just after planting them, from four inch pots earlier this year and have two new ones and neither one has grown much for me...not sure why...I really wanted the yellow one in my garden..also didn't have any luck with a pink variety I tried a year ago.
JanetS,I bought several yellow ones from a guy that was wanting to get rid of all of his perennials and go to mums, got some nice plants in the bunch, the butterfly bushes were all dried out, I soaked them and planted one in the ground, it got about two foot from a 5” pot. I hoping this one will come back, but now I wonder if you have had so much trouble growing them, I have one that starts out pink and turns to lavender and one that starts out lavender and turns to pink lol I could send you some seed, don’t know if they would be true but every time I pull seedlings anywhere in my yard it’s these colors, although I did have two white volunteers. I haven’t tried to collect any seed this year but there is probably some out there.
Polly, it’s funny that you should mention grasses; I have trouble over wintering them too! This year I just put them in 3 gal pots, before I treated them just as any other perennial, not good (for me) lol Maybe I will put my other perennials around them that I know will make it, I have three bunches of pots, waiting to put them all in one spot, have to clear the spot out lol
I WS some butterfly bushes last year and they’re a good size now, but every time I WS them they turn out the same colors :( I just need to get some different seed, although the seed I had last year was different seed? I'll make sure I water them before a freeze and they are up to their rims :)
lillyo
Yours didn’t come back either? Man! I really want the yellow ones lol This makes me want them even more lol
It’s suppose to freeze tonite!
Lea
Thanks for the sweet offer of the seed. I have several different ones, and have decided I need to "give somethings away, or dig them out" before I plant any more bushes. I also have the lavendar one that seeds everywhere and does come true from seed. They are beautiful!
The yellow ones that have come back are on the south side of a 4ft wall; maybe they like the extra warmth. They are only about 4ft high themselves, but they are blooming nicely.
That is good to know..I just wanted something a little different, but I have a lot of lantana that is the old fashion kind yellows, and oranges and it really fills in my garden for the yellow touch.
I have the yellow (Honeycomb) Butterfly Bush. I planted it in fall of 2005...it made it through the winter and came back in spring of 2006. It grew to well over 4 feet tall this summer and bloomed all summer and still has some blooms on it.
I have a total of 6 Butterfly Bushes and they are just beautiful as a backdrop for my other plants. I kept them deadheaded all summer and they put on a continual show.
Debroots, that's encouraging maybe mine will come back, it's not the honeycomb though, just the regular yellow, didn't have a name on it or I could look it up, next year if they come back will check to id, when I get more blooms :) I have six in the ground, that have come back, dartmore (4), first year for a yellow one, and a white that came up volunteer this summer. I used to have 'white profusion', I think this is where the seedling came from.
JanetS, are your lantana perennial for you? I have to plant every year, just have to have them they are so beautiful! I always buy for my friends when I go too lol We never have any colors to choose from though they are always orange and yellow, not that I don't like this one, just would love to have some different colors, I start some in the basement every year but so far have only had one to come up (last year) and be able to plant that was Miss huff? It is pretty, hard to get seed off of though, they drop almost as soon as they make their little seed balls and can't find them lol
I have them in my garden, they die back some through the winter but come right back in the spring, I know some who cut them back, but I don't I just leave them alone.
Yes all of my lantana come back...I have so many varieties too. I have them come up from seed as well in places not wanted..I pull them out and share them with friends. I have a pink one rooted on my porch if you would like to have it...I have a lot of trades to get finished up before I do any new ones, but remind me next week sometime and I will see what I have to send...I have yellow, lavendar, and white sprawling type and the red, the yellow/orange (spice?), and a pink in the taller varieties, I do not cut them down till I see new growth in the spring...then the older varieties get over six feet tall...they are yummy!
JanetS, They all sound great, don't want any of the sprawling ones, had one this summer and traded it lol It took over a whole flower garden, didn't realise they got so big! If you have any seeds for other colors than the orange and yellow (have plenty of them) would love to trade some seed, we have had freezes and do not have enough room and light to keep cuttings in the house, won't have the room to keep them underlights after I start all of my seed this year. Dmail me if you would like to trade some seed :) I would love to....
kareoke, how far do you live from Louisville? I'm about 30miles east, can't believe you'rs comes back! That's awsome! Which kind are they? Or just colors? Is it possiable we do have a perennial lantana now? I always just jerk my old plants up in the fall, maybe I should just leave it there and see if it comes back, I do have some plants there that is out of my zone that come back but just figured the lantana wouldn't so I always pull it up! I will leave it for next year, this gives me hope :)
My butterfly bushes are wilted :( It froze again last nite and was 28 when I got up this morning!
Most people treat lantana as an annual, especially landscapers, but I think you will find if you leave them they will come back...just don't cut them back till you see new growth, normally late spring early summer here. I will check on seed for you.
JanetS
Thanks JanetS!
Are there any zone 6a gardeners out there who have had lantana come back? I'm very skeptical.
LeBug, you should check out the Proven Winners lantana. I saw some this summer that were variagated in shades of red and pink mixed with the usual yellows and oranges.
LeBug, I think there are two different plants disscused here, Lantana, and butterfly bush, mine are Butterfly bush, maybe I am dumb and they are both in the same family, but I do nothing with my Butterfly Bush, then next spring if there is a lot of dead branches I cut some of it off but not all because it still gets the flowers on, just takes a little longer. mine are Pink, and Purple.
I don't think they are in the same family...could be wrong...but I have found with my BUTTERFLY bushes I cut them back hard in the spring and they come back better and quicker than if I just trim them back.
Funny thing...my husband always calls my lantana "The butterfly bushes" because the butterflies love them, and I am always saying "No, those are Lantana..." just happened to think of that as an after thought...he really marvels at the garden flowers!
I've occasionally had a problem with Buddleia overwintering when I've planted late in the year (clearance sale plants). I assumed they just did'nt get rooted well enough before winter set in. When I've gotten them in the ground before mid-late summer they've always done fine. Most of the top growth typically dies back on mine, but I cut them way back each spring regardless because I like the shape of the bush better that way.
I've never had a lantana survive winter here, but I have trimmed them and yanked them up in fall, and stored them in grocery bags hanging in a cool closet where I overwinter my tender bulbs. Those bounced back beautifully when I potted them up in spring. I would bet they would be a good candidate for overwintering in pots in a garage.
Everything is covered with frost this morning (again), I'm already longing for spring too!
Neal
Hi Neal,
Hope you are doing great! I have 39 degrees here this morning...pretty cool for this time of year. Actually it is cold for me, since I have been watering my grass, my landscapers put out some type of fertilizer to help the roots get a better hold for winter, and it has to be watered in...cold and wet don't mix well for me...lol But it is a beautiful day...the leaves are starting to really look beautiful too. That is a great way to keep lantana, kind of like geraniums so many people do the same way. I am trying to figure out whether I am going to do cutting fromsome of my begonias before I put them in the basement for winter...just so much work to be done before everything MUST be brought in or left to its own strengths, I had a lot of things I just left in their pots on the porch last year, couldn't get to them and pretty much all of them came back, even my tropical hibiscus..so I don't know what I will do this year...even my polka dot plants came back in the pots on the porch. Good to hear from you!
Janet
Hi Janet! Hope you're doing well and feeling healthy :)
I barely got all my coleus cuttings taken and super tender stuff brought in just in time. My dining room looks like a rain forest now! The house smells really nice in the evenings with the brug blooms though, lol.
The fall color here is gorgeous now. This is the foothills of the Appalachians, so most of the area is forested and the colors on the hills are spectacular. It's like the grand finale of the growing season.
How wonderful! I love FALL! It is just the most beautiful for color. I guess because the trees are so big...it is like having huge flowers blooming in the sky! I bet the brugs do smell nice. I haven't tried them yet...I have some cuttings someone promised me that are coming in the next week or so..hope I can make them live..LOL never know. I usually don't take cutting so much, but I have a really pretty begonia, well, actually a couple that I like a lot and I was thinking of taking cuttings and seeing if I can keep them alive during the winter...just not sure how much work I want to do...if you know what I mean. Between Thanksgiving and Christmas, it is a lot work anyway around here! We are going to the North Georgia Mountain area this weekend, tomorrow early, around Helen and Dahlonaga, Suches, etc. we love to hear those waterfalls and walk around in the leaves..it should be wonderful!
Have a wonderful time! As far as getting things in for winter, just do what you feel like doing, and let the rest fend for themselves on the porch. Great that you had so many things survive there.