What is the best way of managing brugs through the winter in Washington state, on the coast near Seattle? Can they be cut back, left in the ground, and mulched?
Wintering In Washington state
Doesn't Seattle have a lot of cold rain during the winter months? I would be afraid to have them in the ground unless it drained really well. Even then, the chance of root rot is possible, I guess. Having not ever lived there, it would probably be best if someone who has grown brugs in that area would answer your question.
Brugie is correct.
The main risk here is root rot due to the amount of rain we get.
This year we not only had loads of rain but the cold weather to go with it. Just from my experience it also take a long time for them to grow back from the ground and bloom.
It's best if you can keep them in pots and bring them into a GH. Or as I do, they come indoors and into the basement where they go semi dormant.
Many of the garages around here, especially in new houses are frost free in the winter & make excellent winter storage. Remove the leaves (or at least pick them up quickly when they all fall), water sparingly, keep it cool but never freezing, maybe mist the the ends frequently (to keep the spider mites down). They do better with an extra 4' shop light for less than $10 too, then at least you'll have some leaves all winter after they loose they're outdoor leaves. Basements are great too if they're not heated.
I haven't had much luck in the ground. It's soaking wet in the winter & we get hard freezes for extended periods of time.
I'm in Washington state though further south near Portland Oregon. I have brugs in pots too big and heavy to move so I take cuttings to winter over. But the brugs in those pots do come back every year and have for over 5 years. They are real slow to show in the spring and much slower to bloom than the ones wintered over. But they do make it through our winters here.