Last year I planted crocosmia (Emily Mackenzie, I think - supposed to be hardy in my zone) and the corms rotted over the winter. I love crocosmia, so when I saw Lucifer at Home Depot, I couldn't resist, even though I think it's supposed to be the least hardy. Then I bought two other varieties (couldn't help myself). I'd like to know if others in my zone or colder have had luck with it, or should I dig up the corms when they die back and replant next year? If so, what's the best way to store them over the winter?
Thanks for any help!
Crocosmia in zone 6a?
I have had spotty luck w/ crocosmias in general.
But Lucifer is reliably hardy here.
George Davidson is also reliable here.
But I've lost several others.
Both Lucifer and George Davidson spread fairly rapidly.
I've heard they need to be divided regularly to maintain flowering,
but I haven't bothered. So far, still bloom beautifully.
Do you have someplace you can plant them that has really good drainage, like a raised bed or toward the top of a hill/slope? Some plants will have more problems coming back if they're a little bit too wet over the winter, but if you can keep them drier sometimes you'll have better luck.
Sounds like they're kind of sensitive plants. My entire tiny front yard (my sunniest space, where I planted them) is a raised bed, but in a snowstorm there's no place to pile the snow except on top of it. I do usually try to shovel it off again on days warm enough to melt it on the street. Do you think it would work to put plastic under the mulch where they are after the ground freezes? (Actually, Ecrane, you probably don't have any experience with frozen ground where you are, do you? Oh I'm jealous!)
Weerobin, do you have any idea what caused you to lose the ones you did? Was it when you had an especially wet winter? And I'm shocked you're in the same zone as me, because you're way south of me.
You have the ocean to thank for your zone--being closer to it keeps you warmer, that's why you can be in the same zone as someone who's farther south. I used to live in Ohio, so I have experienced frozen ground before, but definitely haven't had any trouble with that since I moved here! I'm not too sure about the idea of putting plastic over the bed, in general that's not good for your soil so if that's your only option to keep things drier I'd probably dig up the corms for the winter instead and try to save them that way.
I have to dig and store the Lucifer Crocomias...the other's stay in the ground and come up with no problem. The Lucifer's, for whatever reason, rot, if I don't dig them up...even when we get minimal rain.
I've never dealt with frozen soil either, but I did read an article (forgot where) about a guy who lived where he got lots of snow and put 2 layers of old carpeting (backing to backing) over a raised bed in the winter, then lifted it in the spring. He claimed it insulated the soil and kept it from freezing completely and it saved him from having to dig and store tender plants and bulbs.
I had Lucifer come back for me this year. I wasn't expecting it to, that's for sure. We have unpredictable winters...this last one was pretty dry though.
That's an interesting idea about the carpeting Jasper, will have to find out more about that. I wouldn't recommend putting down plastic either, that seems like it might suffocate and rot them anyways.
I've been growing Lucifer way up north in Newfoundland (zone 5b), for many years. They multiply quite fast. Our ground is covered in DEEP snow for at least 4 months of the year. However, the snow keeps the frost at bay so they ground does not freeze at the depth the corms are located (about 4-6" deep). Some years when it turns cold before we get snow, we can experience some Lucifer losses. Funny that they should rot in CA...we get 60" of rain a year so they literally have to sink or swim.
Emily Mackenzie is one of the most tender cultivars.
There are a few more like art_n_garden (Hi art ^_^) in the Rockies who have had luck with wintering Lucifer in the ground so I'm gonna try it next year. dahlianut aka the eternal zone pushing optimist.
Thanks everyone, for your answers. Todd, when I planted the potted crocosmia (that rotted last year), I planted at the same depth it was already planted at when I bought it, and I'm wondering if the corms were way too high in the soil, because I think I remember only digging down a couple of inches at most to find the find the rotted corms. Maybe I should check the corms when the plants die back (one is still flowering now) and replant them deeper if they're not 4-6" already? And maybe try the carpet trick too. But I think I'd like to dig up a few of them just in case. As I haven't dug and stored bulbs before, what's the best way to do it? Do they need some time in my refrigerator as my basement is fairly warm?
I have lost many other cultivars of crocosmia, but I don't think I've ever lost Lucifer. I have always found it to be reliable. I'm not a coddling type of gardener - so if I can grow it, it must be pretty durable. No special care as I recall. Grows quickly over a couple years into a big clump. Dies out in the center of the clump, as you might imagine. I've heard warnings about it being overly aggressive. I figured I was near the limit of it's hardiness, so that keeps it bounds. I'm not sure that's true, just my theory. I've heard Lucifer is the hardiest, so I have presumed the other cultivars aren't quite hardy enough. But with global warming, maybe I should try them all again.
Maybe you should, Weerobin. I'm not generally a coddler either, but I do love crocosmia and hope to keep it. Funny, I had heard just the reverse of you - that Lucifer was less hardy, but lord knows where I got that info.
I have lucifer here too.
Lucifer does fine here, too. It's actually one of the hardiest.
http://www.perennialresource.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=plants.plantDetail&plant_id=185
HI can I pop a question in about Lucifer? Are they late to come up in spring? Like hardy hibiscus and such or do they come up earlier?
mine come up late but before hardy hibs.
Oh good, your in the same zone as me, so I should have them at the same time. : ) I was thinking of interplanting them with spring bulbs, do you think that would be okay?
I am sure it would I have daffs and other perennials planted with them.
Thank you for your help : )
I've grown crocosmia here in zone 5. It's four things - drainage, drainage, drainage and winter mulch after the first hard frost. Get the winter mulch off ASAP in the spring.
Thanks, Snapple. That's really helpful. Which cultivar(s) do you grow?
Lucifer, of course, because it is hardier, and Emily McKenzie. The latter will freeze out if the mulch isn't deep enough ( 6") or rot if the mulch isn't pulled off in early spring.