I'm looking for advice on saving my tender perennials/tropicals over winter. My garage is filled with these plants which I have removed from the garden beds. I have dug out and repotted a brug, a papyrus (from the pond), several colocasia, a ruella (tall), a tibouchina, and a very special fuchsia. I'm not sure which can go dormant and which have to go inside. Also, I have some beautiful salvias: leucantha, 'Lipstick','Silke's Dream' and an agastache. I am in McLean, Virginia. This is a 6b-7a. Should I bring in the salvia and agastache? Can they be let to go dormant? Can they be left outside (they are planted in the ground) and just mulched? I just am in Zone Denial and don't own a greenhouse! Thanks,
Brenda
This message was edited Nov 12, 2006 12:06 PM
Wintering Over Tropicals-Advice?
Brenda, you might want to cross post this over on the Mid Atlantic forum. I bet there are some tropical growers there; I know Chantell has tropicals.
Also, if you check the Plantfiles there might be some info for you. I often check to see who is growing a plant and where they live.
Good Luck.
Brenda,
I'm just a bit south of you, near Mt. Vernon, & so far, I've been successful leaving the agastaches in the ground, but I think it's a question of drainage. Your salvias sound lovely, I would try to cover all bases, leave some outside (again, w/ good drainage) & take cuttings to overwinter inside. This past weekend, I pulled out all the colocasia & dahlia bulbs & have them in a box filled w/ peat in the garage (1st year trying this). I love fuchsias, but I always kill them, no matter what I do, & I would definitely move the tibouchina inside.
Outside, I've left the windmill palm, the figs, musa basjoo, & the J. maples (ground & container). I was so surprised last year when one of my lantanas came back-I hope it happens again! I brought in my orchids, hibiscus, ficus-fiddleleaf & Belize, pandanus, begonias, & dug up the dwarf Cavendish banana & stuck it in the garage to go dormant. Good luck with all your plants...Linda
All the Agastache's that I know of are hardy to zone 4 or 5, so those are probably fine left in the ground. For Salvia 'Lipstick' you're on the border of its hardiness (if Plant Files is correct), so I would research that one some more since PF isn't always exactly right, but it may be OK outside too especially if you mulch it well. S. 'Silke's Dream' I never heard and it doesn't seem to be in PF so can't help you there. Salvia leucantha I think is only hardy to zone 8 so you'll either need to bring it in or try mulching it really well and see if it'll make it for you. Your tropicals I can't really help with because they either grow outside year round here or I keep them on the patio or in the greenhouse where they get light. My gut feel is that the tibouchina would prefer to be inside with light rather than in a dark garage trying to get it to go dormant, but that's just my gut feel so if someone in your zone who has experience overwintering them indoors tells you something different I would trust them!
Thank you for all your responses. I am trying to take all your advice. I cross-posted the question. I'm putting the tibouchina inside. The colocasia will go in the garage and outside. I'll try mulching and bringing the salvia leucantha; I really love this plant. The ruella will also inside, and I'll try letting the brug go dormant. Isn't experimental gardening fun, when it works!
You could also buy a cheap shop light fixture for your tropical plants. I have 4 fixtures in my crawl space that I have on a timer. Most do not thrive, but just stay alive until the next growing season. I have my EE's, young Cannas, Passifloras, Plumbago, Hibiscus, Gardenia, & some annuals down there too. I find that the lamps are great for rooting cuttings as well. I have them on for about 12 hours per day, but they can go down to 10 if desired. I use basic florescent bulbs - not gro-lites. I can cram a lot of plants under them - I do not have the window space for all of these, & I don't want to give them up!
Julie