colup--
A silly suggestion on your leaking water wands.....
Have you checked if they need new washers in the connection?
At work in Garden--when hoses leak--that is the first thing I check.
I actually carry washers and a small screw driver in my apron pocket...
Everyone else just tries to work around it--and gets all wet...
Am I the only one with some logic in my brain? G.
Weather Watching #3 - Count Down to Fall 2013
As a merchandizer of plants at big box stores I carried my own personal water wand from store to store! (And other items I needed to do my job...)
How embarrassing is it to be a home improvement store and have leaky, squeaky and non functioning equipment?!!!
How embarrassing is it to be a Garden Center and have dried out, diseased or dying plants for sale?!!!
And, while I mini rant
What kind of strategy is it to sell a plant labeled only as "Houseplant" or "Shrub" or "Hosta"?????
Or even just "Heuchera", as I saw at a Home Depot recently.
I recently bought a Rose of Sharon at HD - the tag attached to the plant was right but the pot was labeled as a deutzia so it rang up as a deutzia on the receipt. Before I put two and two together, I was racking my brain trying to remember buying a deutzia when I was going through all my end of season bargain receipts. Did I mention I kinda overdid it? Now it will be really embarrassing if the more common name of Rose of Sharon is actually botanically a deutzia - I didn't feel like looking it up before I added my two cents into the rant LOL
No frost here. The begonias and petunias are still blooming. No frost damage to the coleus or caladiums.
I'm waiting for a hard freeze before bringing in the alocacia. The tropicals guy at Behnke's said that for some plants, they need to experience sufficient cold to go into dormancy before being dug up and stored.
I have a beautiful silver heuchera from HD. I wish I knew the cultivar name!
Beautiful day here!!! NO wind--that helps....
Don't think it is going to dip much below the 40's ay night for a few days.
I think it will, actually, warm up a bit next week SURPRISE!!!!
G.
What common tropicals and house plants absolutely need to come in before a frost? I'd like to prioritize what I lug inside.
aspen, no a Rose of Sharon is Hibiscus, you are ok
haha Karen sorry, meant DARN
ssg- thanks for mentioning the alocasia hint.
happy- probably the juiciest softest things tend to be tender- but a complete list? tell us what you have…I lug in , in triage taking what I like the most, first. But I try to move them all to under trees or near house first, if I won't get them all.
Touches of frost on grass but all plants seem OK.
Happy--
I am NOT being sarcastic--but if it is a Houseplant--it belongs in the
HOUSE during winter. NO houseplant will survive outside....
Do not confuse other plants, like some annuals (eg Coleus) that many
of us bring inside as a House Plant.
The ones that are prone to "GO" with the first frost are, like Sally said,
the ones that have watery stems. Eg: Impatiens of all kinds--
Begonias--Wandering Jew--Coleus--etc...even though New Guinea
Imps. can take a bit of chill;. So can Spider Plants and Sheffleras.
You ask a most broad question--as I do not have any idea what you have
that you consider "House Plants"...
You could list all you have in that category and then we could help you more.....
Gita
I wasn't clear about my question. Some tropicals are, say, zone 8; others are zone 9, or 10, or 11, or higher still. As ssg said above, "The tropicals guy at Behnke's said that for some plants, they need to experience sufficient cold to go into dormancy before being dug up and stored." So I am trying to figure out which tropicals can take -- or even like -- a bit of cold, and which need to stay warmer. I know that caladium, for example, need to be warm all the time.
I had a list, but can't find it. But no worries -- I'll stumble through.
Anything in zones 8 or 9 or above are NOT in the same category as plants
in our area. Many plants we have to bring inside can stay outside there
and grow as perennials. Like Brugs.
I realize many people here grow bananas, and Gardenias, and Plumerias
and have to take them inside.
In zones 8/9 and above--they can happily grow as perennials--depending
on their location.
Even some of these zones can have a cold snap--even close to a freezing temp.
The weather is a most unpredictable factor in all gardens...
SO! Asking what you need to bring in depends on what you have.
G.
I think we can note that its the BULB things that we are hearing as wanting some cold. And so, the leaves may chill while the bulb is protected from that by some soil. THe other point is- are you looking for them to be dormant, or stay actively green? So then, don't let them be chilled if you want them to think it's an endless summer going on. And the decrease in daylight hours too happens outside which causes some dormancy symptoms. Smaller leaves on caladiums I have read as caused by the light, not temps.
Frost on the ground outside. My NG Imps and caladium are gone. :-( More to follow, I guess! Sad part about having annuals.
Lol Poor Happpy! In the time it would take me to m make a list of all my plants I could move all of them to shelter!!
Looks like we will have another week reprieve from early freeze at least around here. No frost and low temp was 36.
This P Allen Smith 'list' might be useful:
"Every fall gardeners in climates that experience true winters have a tough decision to make. Their outdoor gardens are filled with frost tender annuals, tropicals and houseplants that are facing the end of their lives with the first hard freeze. Do they merit a spot in the house, basement or greenhouse or should they be sacrificed to the compost pile to make rich humus for the benefit of next year's garden?
Here is a list of 10 plants that many of us struggle over what to do with as we face this dilemma. Here the arguments are made and the judgments delivered.
1. Summer Annuals – It's tempting to try to save bedding plants such as petunias, torenias, and marigolds that have been so beautiful all summer. The fact is annuals are named so for a reason. They complete their life cycle in one year. Verdict: Compost!
2. Begonias – Begonias are an exception to the rule when it comes to bedding plants, especially unique varieties such as Beefsteak and Angel Wing. Just dig up your favorites and plant them in pots with a sterile potting soil. Place them in a room with bright morning sun and water when the soil is dry. They may look a little rough, but they will revive next spring. Verdict: Keep!
3. Yellow Dahlias Summer Bulbs – Summer bulbs such as dahlias, elephant ears and calla lilies are a toss up. In my zone 7 garden I cover them with a heavy layer of mulch and cross my fingers. Gardeners in zone 8 and above don't need to do anything because these plants will survive the winters. In cold winter climates (zone 6 – 3) the bulbs should be dug after the first killing frost, and then dried and stored in peat moss. Verdict: Keep!
4. Boston Ferns – Personally I think Boston ferns should go on the compost pile, but I have a brown thumb when it comes to houseplants. The dry air in winter homes is especially hard on ferns. More often than not bringing Boston ferns indoors results in a messy pile of leaves and a ratty looking fern. Verdict: Compost!
5. Banana Trees – Banana trees are definitely a statement maker. Several varieties are cold tolerant to zone 7 and can be left outdoors over winter. The top will die back after the first hard freeze, but will sprout new growth in spring. To protect the roots from freezing cover the soil with 1 foot of mulch. In colder climates you will need to store your banana trees indoors during the winter. If it is planted in a bed, dig up the plant before the first frost. Gently remove any excess soil and then cut the leaves back close to the base of the trunk. You will be left with something that looks like a pole with roots. Place the plant in a container filled with moist sand and store it in an area that will not drop below 50 degrees F. Stop watering or fertilizing the container and allow the plant to go dormant. If your banana trees were growing outdoors in containers and they are a manageable size you can move them indoors and treat them as houseplants. Just place them in a warm, sunny location, stop fertilizing and only water them as needed. Verdict: Keep!
6. Angel's Trumpet – Large, trumpet shaped, fragrant flowers and rapid growth make this sub-tropical shrub a definite keeper. Brugmansia can withstand a light frost, but will perish once night temperatures drop below 35 degrees F. For those you live in an area where winter temperatures stay above 30 degrees F., they can be stored in an unheated garage or shed. Don't be discouraged if your plants get a little scraggly looking during this period. Just water occasionally and in the spring they will come out of dormancy and start leafing out. Verdict: Keep it!
7. Mandevilla Vine - Mandevillas are cold hardy to zone 9, which means they need to be moved indoors when night temperatures regularly drop into the lower fifties. If you have the space and plenty of sunlight, you can treat your Mandevilla as a houseplant. It may go dormant anyway and lose its leaves, in which case you should cut back on watering severely to prevent root rot. You can also keep a mandevilla in a place where temperatures stay between 55 and 60 degrees, such as a basement, crawlspace or garage. Cut the plant back to about 12 inches above the soil and water only occasionally. Verdict: Keep it!
8. Bougainvillea – Whether or not you choose to keep your Bougainvillea depends on where you live. In zones 10 to 11 bougainvilleas cycle between dormancy and active growth throughout the year and are showiest from December through June when it is cool and dry. In zone 9 they will die back if there is a hard freeze, but will return in spring. The rest of us should treat this tropical beauty like an annual and thank it for adding color to our summer gardens. Verdict: Compost it!
9. Geraniums – The smell of geraniums always reminds me of my mother's sun porch in winter. Unfortunately I did not inherit her ability to care for them so my vote is to send geraniums on to their great reward unless they are just too special to let go. In which case you can store them in the pots they are planted in. Cut the plant back to about six inches and place it in an area with bright sunlight that stays above freezing. Water when the soil is dry. Verdict: Compost it!
10. Oxalis – It is a tender perennial that is cold hardy to zone 8, but it can be overwintered indoors quite easily. I think you will find that it is equally as delightful as a houseplant as it is in the garden. Keep the plant in a room with bright, filtered light and low humidity. Oxalis goes into a semi-dormant period in winter so go easy on the water and don't fertilize the plant. If you would prefer, you can also dry and store the tubers. Dig the plants from the garden and dry them with the soil attached. Plants grown in containers can be dried and stored "as is." Verdict: Keep it!"
http://www.pallensmith.com/articles/what-to-do-with-frost-tender-plants
Thanks, Coleup!
I'm not sure if we went down to freezing last night, but the coleus and begonias are still doing okay. I think my petunias and calibrachoa are actually blooming better now than they did in the heat of the summer.
My 2 hardy begonias--grandis and kaylen--both are completely withered in their stems, the blooms literally nipped in the bud. I assume the tubers beneath the ground are still alive though, right? My phlox David also withered, as did several annuals--the caladium, the pentas, the celosia, the NG imps.
The begonia grandis will do just find. While it is tuberous-rooted, I have not found the tubers to be large at all -- that is, I have never noticed them. Not that I have thought about that or looked for them. But the absence of anything tuberous must be what makes transplanting them so hard.
But having said that, look at this site which shows quite substantial tubers: http://sharon-willowgardenmusings.blogspot.com/2013/04/begonia-grandis-adventures.html
I had no idea!
I have not seen any frost damage here yet. Since I was stuck in most of the day, I'm now on the deck with a blanket and the laptop, enjoying the crickets noises and gentle sighing breezes.
TOmorrow morning - showers are expected.
The Dr. S. leaves are all toast! He looks pathetic! The blooms are hanging
limp--but still there...
I need to cut it to pieces asap--as we may get more frost--and I don't want the
stems to be affected--as i will be delivering all the pieces to Cylburn.
The Persian Shields are all limp--and the Acalyphas just dropped all their leaves.
Even the NG Imps got bit. YUP! We had a frost!
Today was a nice day--but I never worked outside...Been getting up at 4:15AM
the last 2 mornings. A bit low on motivation to garden.
Tomorrow is supposed to rain. I have so many leaves to rake up! They are everywhere...
My lawn needs mowing too. Whhhaaaaa.............
Digging up all the Cannas looms like a black cloud over my head.
I have not yet cut any of the foliage off. That will fill a couple of trash bags!
I remember how massive some of the roots were. So big--I could not lift the clump
once I dug it up. That Canna from Dianna is a humongous root-grower!
So is Olga's orange one. That did not grow too well this year--I think the roots were bad.
Still picking some Sun Gold tomatoes....and have several green Mortgage Lifters
still on the shriveling tomato plants. Trying to decide if I want to do Fried green tomatoes...
Any good recipes?
No end to garden chores! And the daylight is way too short now.
More time to justify spending a few hours here at the "C" on DG.
G.
A nice gentle rain here this AM. It's been a little dry here. The last couple of days were just gorgeous.
Not much to say as super typhoon ravages the Philipines.
Grateful I can sleep high and dry tonight
Egads - we've had a shift colder -- the current forecast takes us to 29 degrees tonight! That'll be the first frost for the season for us, if the forecast doesn't change.
ACK Shouldn't be shocked but I have no excuse if I'm not ready by now.. Its already pretty chilly out there.
Could be even colder if that 29 doesn't include a 5 degree 'wind chill' factor.
Think I will go out and turn off and empty my hose.
Another beautiful fall day, almost to 50*F and breezy.
The barest touches of frost seen here. And a beautiful if cool fall day.
Whenit gets cool--like now--I LOVE sleeping under the extra blankets...
SO comfy!!! All snuggled up--with myself....;O(
Didn't do anything outside today. Shouldda--but did not.
Went to BJ's and spent about 2 hours there--walking every single aisle.
I went there--as always--60 days free coupon in hand. The lady talked me into
joining. They have a special going--15 months for $40--plus 2 rewards coupons
worth $25 ea. to some restaurants.
So--I joined....Got a card for Aina too. Then shopped and spent some $$.
Like--I needed more food.............
G
It really was a beautiful day today. I managed to get out for a little while and cut back some things for the fall. It really is feeling like winter is approaching.
I love lots of blankets in a cool room at night!
Robin
I had a list of things to do yesterday but decided instead to take my Aunt out to lunch for her 88th birthday. Who knows how many more chances I will have to do that?
When I got home (after dark) Benny the cat managed to sneak out the door as I was coming in. Nothing like trying to catch a gray cat in the dark. We went around the house and then he headed deeper into the backyard. My flashlight caught the eyes of something (another cat or raccoon?). I managed to catch Benny when he was all puffed up and growling at a concrete fox by the shed. He is such a brave kitty, lol.
Glad you caught him! :-)
haha Catbird! How nice you could take your aunt out.
And grrrrreat picture of Benny! concrete fox haha..he was probably petrified by the time you caught up to him.
Benny is adorable! I have trouble finding the two feral grey cat brothers even when it's not dark. they blend in so.
Shocking to me that the 's' word is now in the forecast for Tues!! It made it to 67 here today. I need two or three more days like today to finish up outside stuff. Tues til Fri 10 - 20 degrees below normal.
Winds have brought down about 1/3 of the leaves...not raking them yet as they have blown off areas I need to work in. (How many times does that happen, lol.)
i did not realize they were forecasting snow for Tuesday! looks like I need to make good use of my day off tomorrow and get the rest of the mulching done.
Everyone at work today was talking about snow on Wednesday.
GREAT! I have to be at work on Wed. by 8AM. Also on Thursday.
Which day is correct???
These kind of things make me feel more secure because I own a Subaru Outback.
BUT--I will still have to shovel and clear a way out.
I hope it is just an inch or so......We ALL remember this snow storm!
Feb. 2010.
My car buried
My neighbor's driveway--YES! There IS a car under that big pile of snow...
Looking at my back yard. This is what killed my tall evergreens...
My car--finally dug out
My street--looking East.
This early- I feel SURE it can't be more than a dusting.
Interesting that we had our first frosts so much sooner than others in the area--a few weeks ago now. :-( We are just east of Rockville.
I hear Damascus is a chilly spot too.
My SIL in Forest Hill, north of Gita, talked about ice on her birdbath more than once now. Ice?? I haven't even had hard frost.
ice--yikes! the calendar says only mid-autumn, but the weather feels more and more like early winter. Barely above freezing when I drove my daughter to school this morning!
As soon as I get my tush off this chair here--I will be going outside
to rake all the leaves while they are still dry.
If I can--I will cut back all the cannas too. .
REMINDER TO SELF---(and others) IF you have a concrete bird bath--
now is the time to take it in--or at least turn it upside down.
I lost one last winter when it cracked to pieces as the water in it froze.
ALSO---get the snow shovels out and have them handy by the front door.
Same for the Ice Melt.
Here they said (on the radio) that the ground is still too warm for any snow to
really collect on it. They said we will have a light snow tomorrow.
The temps will be the killer...Wed. PM lows around 20*.
G.