winter over plants

iI LIVE IN NORTHERN OHIO AND WOULD LIKE TO KNOW HOW TO SAVE MY BOSTON FERNS AND LANTANNAS FOR NEXT YEAR! I HAVE SEVERAL AND ITS GETTING EXPENSIVE TO BUY EVERY YEAR. CUT BACK? GROW LIGHT? WATER LESS? HELP, IT WILL FROST SOON

Hi dazohio! Welcome to Daves!
I was wondering if your plants are in pots, or ground? My guess is the ferns are in pots??

My ferns are in pots [actually hanging moss baskets] and my lantanas are in the ground.

Here's a link to some info on overwintering a lot of different plants. I have a few already dug up and brought in, I'm trying to overwinter some ornamental peppers this year, and brugs (wish me luck).
http://www.ipm.iastate.edu/ipm/hortnews/1996/11-8-1996/anflower.html

I googled Boston fern, for overwintering, and found a ton of resouces for that one. I've never had much luck with that one. I do know now after killing a few, that they like alot of mist.

I hope this helps. Good Luck!

I've been overwintering my Lantana for 7 years now and have luck taking cuttings from the newer (not totally soft) wood and bringing the entire plant in. The cuttings, of course take up much less room. I root about 10 cuttings that I take at this time of year in my Zone 5b garden and root them in a mix of equal parts sand and pottting soil. I put them in the basement under regular fluorescent light (about 10 hours per day). In the spring, I just plant them where I want them. The plants I bring in I cut back by about 1/3. Those I put under the same lights and keep them barely watered. They lose most of the leaves and look absolutely awful come spring, but after 2 - 3 wks outside, they are gorgeous. Eventually the stem starts to look like a small tree trunk on the whole plants. The cuttings only get a main stem about the diameter of a dime.

As for the Boston Ferns, they also can be overwintered, but they are very messy. The leaves continue to drop all winter unless you can keep the humidity and light levels high enough inside to prevent this. Otherwise, bring them in to a basement, or an unheated room that doesn't freeze. Give them 10 - 12 hours of fluorescent light and enough water to keep them from drying out completely. You will lose most of the leaves. At this time, cut them back, shake out the dead stuff, soak for several hours in a bucket of water, feed at 1/2 strength with Miracle Grow type of fertilizer (unflavored gelatine works great and directions are on the package) and give them bright light (no direct sun). They will bounce back within a few weeks. I love the look of Boston Ferns, but hate the mess they make over winter. Every year and swear I won't bring them in but I do and probably always will. I guess a little sweeping is a small price to pay for the beauty they give us.

Hope this helps.


This message was edited Oct 22, 2007 11:09 PM

Your info was great! [and just in time --frost in 2 days!] thank you. I am going to try some cuttings off the lantanas and bring in a couple of my smaller ones.