I'm probably showing my ignorance, but if I don't ask, I won't know.
Can you over winter annuals and put them out again next year?
Or do they just die eventually because they are annuals?
Or can you overwinter some and not others? (Which would make this really hard to figure out which ones my plants are.)
I was wondering about my sweet potatoe vines I brought in with geraniums and put in my very cool, but bright, sunroom. My mom is trying to overwinter her persian shield. I wanted to try it with my copper plant.
Any help would be appreciated. Thanks!
Over wintering annuals
Here's a photo of the hanging basket with 2 neat geraniums I'd like to keep along with the tri-color potatoe vines.
Also, can I cut back a skragly lemon scented geranium and overwinter it? Or overwinter and cut back this spring?
I know I'm asking a lot of questions, but I'm just ry to learn as I go.
Thanks again.
Oh, and while I have you.... :)
What is this weird plant my mom found in at the dump?
It has air roots coming off of it at every junction. Someone told her it was a "Night Blooming something-or-another".
I don't know about overwintering true annuals. My guess is they would wear themselves out setting seed and die anyway. Tender perennials that are treated as annuals are another matter altogether - you can overwinter these if you provide what they need. Coleus and impatiens are examples of tender perennials.
You can overwinter Persian shield (strobilanthes) and copper plant (acalypha) with not too much difficulty - they may have a lot of leaf drop if your light source is not enough and acalypha is an insect magnet but you can save both of these. I have not done sweet potato vine but as long as you keep the tuber from rotting I would think it would do fine (maybe water root some cuttings for insurance). For the geranium I would put it in a cool spot with good light and water sparingly but I'm just comparing with the flowering types.
The last plant is the Ric Rac cactus (an epiphytic cactus).
http://www.plantsforkids.com/ricraccactus.html
http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/62665/
This message was edited Nov 27, 2007 3:48 PM
Thanks! That was very helpful!
Hcmcdole is right about the geraniums. I overwintered mine last year on the unheated glassed-in porch and they did fine. They even bloomed some over the winter. Be careful not to overwater them though as they will rot if you do. People have recommended making cuttings off the fresh growth in the spring to root and plant out rather than keep the entire old plant. I just kept the whole plant and they did bloom all summer but they did look gangly so I may try making cuttings next spring.
the cactus thing is a zig zag cactus and I grow them as house plants. Yours will do fine inside in bright light. The zebra (variegated) is a house plant in the first basket.
You can dig the sweet potato vine out and if there is a potato, just store it and then use it again in the spring. Store the potato in a cool dark area...I store them in dryish used potting soil in an old pot in an area close to the house, outside in an area sheltered from winter precipitation.
The Vancouver geranium with the lovely coral leaf is easy to propagate in water, or struck into well drained, slightly dryish soil inside. Shade the cutting for a week or two, then you can put it into sun. Likes very bright sun for a houseplant but is lovely.
GGG
Lots of great info. guys. I really appreciate it. I just called my mom in MS and told her about the ric-rac cactus and how to take care of it. Y'all are great. I can always count on help from DGers.
GGG, are you saying that the tri-colored potatoe is called a zebra potatoe? And thanks for the name for the geranium. I LOVE it, but threw away the name stake.
hcmcdole, on my way to bed I decided to check DG. and saw this thread. I have 4 Persian Shields still doing well I might say. I would love to keep them. Do I have to take them out of yard and put them in pot for winter or can I leave them in ground but mulched over. They are still very full, I mean leavy. Do I trim them?
Coby
I've never overwintered Persian shield outdoors. You could experiment by leaving a couple outdoors. They are fairly easy to propagate.
Your lucky TulipLady. My persian shield turned black with the first night at 32 degrees here in Atlanta. They were pretty exposed though. My mom was the one that thought of trying to overwinter them, that's why I asked. (She and her plants are in MS.) Wish I had thought of it before! I got persian shield in the spring at either Growers Outlet or No Longer Bound Nursery last spring for $1 !! They were in 4 inch pots and 6-8 inches tall. I LOVE those 2 places for their super low prices. Plus, at No Longer Bound, I'm helping recovering alcoholics run the place and have a purpose that makes so many people happy. I'll let y'all know how mom's shield does come this next spring.
Hey 3gardeners, I guess sometimes ignorance can make one lucky! Usually I would have been much more into checking these things but I've been realllllyyyy busy lately. I had my parents visiting from Holland and we were finishing hardwood floor upstairs etc. But yeah luckily my P.Sh. are quite protected so that saved them I guess. Today I'm going to make (yes, yet another project!) frames with 4mil. clear plastic to put inside our screened porch, so I can put plants inside AND it might give us less chill inside. None of these older houses have double-paned windows, we are not used to that anymore. So hopefully it does serve a double function.
What kind of lamps could I use if I would like to warm it a little when it gets too cold?
Where is No Longer Bound? I have been to Growers Outlet (Loganville) loved the place! They're closed now for the winter but I will certainly go back in Spring. Did you know that Grow. Outl. is run by a Dutch couple? They sound really!! Dutch and they have been here for 38 yrs! I discovered. Anyway they seem very nice folks, my Mom was happy to chatter away in Dutch w somebody in the US.
3gardeners: you gave me the bright orange (w dark leaves) Canna Lilly, right? It has done beautifull all summer and got much attention frm passersby. Should I let it die back or do I need to prune it?
Coby
http://www.nolongerbound.com/greenhouse.asp
I have heard of No Longer Bound, but never knew they had a greenhouse. I'll be checking them out in the spring! :)
No Longer Bound sells at the Flower Show (this year weeks earlier, with a great "topic") and they are fantastic people. I was hoping to get together with them for a day of planting and fellowship late Spring with my group, but it's hard for me to do that during growing/planting season.
Their work is phenomenal and adds so much meaning to people's lives.
GGG
Hey.
Tuliplady: I don't think I was the one to give you the canna. I gave all mine to my sister-in-law because I don't like them. Wish I could take credit.
That RU was so fun. It was my first one and I felt bad for having so little to offer. I tried sowing seeds and thought I'd have more to offer, but as it turns out, I don't have the patience for the whole seeds-grown-indoors projects. Now I have (2) $100 greenhouse racks I don't know what to do with! Off to ebay again. LOL I jumped head first and ended up falling! Well, now I know not to buy seeds unless I can just throw them on the ground and they will germinate.
I discovered them at the Flower show as well. Then I finally made a specific dte to head up to their nursery and check them out. I'm west of ATL and they are east of ATL. Not only are the great people that I admire, they have rediculously low prices and plenty to choose from for such a small outfit. Lots of annuals AND perennials. I can assure you, I'll be going again.
Catherine
Cath. it was a "leftover" one. I know it was one of u cause I wrote down immed. frm "3 gardeners". I guess you were talking about No Longer Bound? I checked their website and it sounds like a wonderful place, I will be visiting them no question!
Coby
Catherine, can you make a photo of your greenhouse racks?? I'm curious, I need storage space. How tall etc. are they. I might be interested.
Here it is:
http://www.amazon.com/Rumford-Gardener-Portable-Greenhouse-GH7500/dp/B000092P4W
They were perfect for the job, just turns out I wasn't. I don't know why this doesn't show the price. Maybe amazon is out of them. Anyway, looking around on the web, I saw some that were a little more lightweight that were only about $55 bucks. I'm listing mine on ebay for about that and I'll bet there are lots on ebay to choose from. I just haven't looked yet. I really liked my two and was happy with the quality. I just need to down size and these shouldn't just sit in a corner when someone can use them. I don't like taking care of indoor plants and I'll never do the seed thing again. I tried rex begonias for the 2nd time and STILL they hate me. I'm done! Well, except for my norfolk pine and MAYBE a peace lily :) .