Winter prep?

I started this brug from gifted seed a year ago. Forgot it. It grew. and grew. So I transplanted it to bigger pots all winter. When it got warmer, I put it outside in a bigger pot, and a bigger pot still. Now it's about 5' and still has not bloomed. I'd like to know if I can overwinter it in an unheated garage. I keep roses in there all winter, they will often keep their leaves all winter so I know it does not get too cold. Its way to big to bring into the house with the other tropicals and does tend to attract every aphid in a 20 mile radius....
Suggestions needed!
Thank you!

oops, sorry the pic is sideways.....

Looks as if it may be ready to bloom soon. I think I can see that it has either formed the Y or it will soon.

Hi Yardqueen - I like your name!
This plant has acted strangely (at least to me) from the very start. First it grew up and up and up in a straight line with no leaves except at the top. When it got warmer, I put it outside - too soon! It lost ALL it's leaves and I thought I'd killed it for sure! Next thing I knew, it had started to grow 2 more stems from the base. Still no sign of flower buds and it's going to get cold here soon. In fact, there have already been frost warnings in more northern areas.
I don't want to lose it to frost before I've at least seen what color the flowers are....
Do you think I should try to manhandle it into the house?

tamberlin,
Do you have any idea how cold your garage gets? I ask because temperatures around here get down to 25ºF a few times during winter. Yet most of my roses retain most of their leaves and this is outside in the yard. Brugs will suffer damage as the temperatures reach 32ºF. Depending on the maturity of the plant and how long the temperatures stay at 32ºF or below, Brugs will die down to ground level or die completely. You could try setting up a mini greenhouse in the garage and using Christmas lights or some other heat source to keep the temperature inside the mini greenhouse above freezing... higher if you want it to continue growing during winter.

tamberlin - I live off of Rt 3 and 495. I have to put my brugs in the basement because they will def. freeze in my garage. I forgot a gallon of milk out there last winter and it was frozen solid the next morning!
I put mine up against the house in October in order to get those last blooms. Then I strip them before bringing them into the basement.

LoraB,

Do you keep them in the dark and let them fo dormant? Do they always come back in the spring? I have never done this, (I always have put them in the greenhouse, but now have to many) and I am afraid they will die.

They are mostly in the dark except for a small basement window. I strip them of all leaves, hose them down fairly well to get any lingering bugs off and DH hauls them down for me. They do go dormant and I only water them occasionally and lightly. I don't have a greenhouse so the basement was my only choice. It's been working for about 5 years now and they always come back in the spring.

My basement is the "greenhouse". It's 1/2 underground and the upper half is all windows. I bring all the other tropical plants inside. I suppose I could bring it in too, but it's getting a little crowded.

Well I would deffinately bring them inside for the winter to put them in an unheated garage is crazy I think they will freeze. Bring them inside they will love you for it they may even bloom for you during the winer however they will bloom in the mid to late spring.

James

good info as I'm facing the same problem this is the first time I'v ever grown them I don't have a garage or a basement so they have to come into the house in the spare room its going to be around 68-70 in here and I have no idea if they will make it till spring or not but I'm going to try I just love them ;0)
Gloria

forgot to say we are going to have a hard freeze to marrow night so I'll bring them in tonight

This message was edited Sep 29, 2009 5:28 PM

You could take cuttings for further insurance, In case they do freeze and don't come back from the roots.
You want to keep your rump covered in case of disaster, such as freezing.