do you bring your gingers in --texas area zone 8--or leave them in the ground for winter
gingers
Matters what ginger it is.
Linda ~ in this zone I have Hedychium coronarium ~ butterfly ginger. I also have an unknown variation. Both are left outdoors over winter in this zone. The foliage dies down but bounces back each spring. I leave the dead foliage till spring as it also provides insulation for the roots.
The butterfly ginger is in a half oak barrel and the unknown is in a common pot. Neither is hurt from freezing here.
I would not be scared to leave these in ground but may mulch them to offer additional protection.
What type are you growing?
I do the same with my butterfly gingers.
Josephine.
thanks so much--and i am glad i asked since i might have left them but i didn't even think about leaving the dead foliage on--so good to just keep on learning!!
Linda ~ I think unless the ground should freeze hard, they will be fine.
You mentioned being in zone 8 ~ a or b? It would be helpful if you could list the zone with your user info. Texas is such a large state we don't always remember where different towns are located. Unfortunately, I am not sure where to add the zone ~ I think under "my info" or "my tools" in the tool bar.
We look forward to running into you in the garden. You said you grow gingers, tell me what else you like... We all have such varied interests and I find mind overlap. I frequently hit on something new I want to try when others talk about it. pod
well i live in zone 8 a--as for growing gingers-a very kind daves gardener wanted to help me along as a new garden fanatic and sent it--i bet she told me the type but i do not remember--there are 2 and they have not bloomed but look very healthy--i have a very big yard and spent the whole summer working on it--thought i was doing it as a chore but ended up loving it and can't seem to get enough!! i have 2 plumarias which i really like a lot, a rock garden with succulents of various types, mock orange bush, pink oleander, pampas grass, fire cracker bush, crape myrtle, red tips, mums, zinnia, etc---and then there is the atrium where i have lots of house plants!! what about you?
Too much stuff... My tastes change with the seasons ~ from blooms to succulents to plants for tempting butterflies and hummers. An all time favorite is herbs ~ more for my pleasure than for eating but that too. I love fragrant plants both herbs and blooms. Need I go on?
I have it all in a journal here and will try to link it. http://davesgarden.com/community/journals/sj/podster/0/
Linda ~ sounds like you may have some plants that will need winter protection tho.
really? which?
So sorry I didn't get back to you right away ~ I should have! I didn't manage to accomplish much today. Grrrr!
Anyway, no experience with these but I think the Plumerias are considered tropical and should need winter protection. What type of succulents do you grow outdoors. Some of those are tender also. Other than Mums and Zinnias, the rest should be all right....
oh--yes i did know about the plumaria and succelents--thanks --so nice to think of someone else looking out for my plants!!
Hmmm... you're welcome. Think I better get after my plants. I haven't moved anything in yet. Guess I work better under pressure.
oh but our weather has been so nice lately that i just want them to have as much time as possible--i did hear that cold is coming next wednesday--of course texas being texas you and i might not have the same forcast!!
I usually try to have things readied by Thanksgiving. Lately, that has been the first killing frost. I start with moving the more tender to shelter and then work on the heartier plants. If it is a light frost before, I will drape sheets over them.
i stopped at lowes and they had things marked way down--i think we can still plant perennials but they had such pretty hibiscus and hibiscus bush--i asked if i could keep them in the atrium over winter and he said they often get aphids and so i passed on those
I overwinter Hibiscus ~ the tropical one will bloom earlier that way. I have never worried overly much about the aphids. I always notice other predators (lady bugs ~ lizards) will take care of them.
I just ordered a few perennials to get started too. Planting now seems to help the roots get soundly establish before the heat and drought of summer.
I keep my tropical hibiscus(es) in my kitchen every winter. The one I have now bloomed great big red blossoms all winter long. Very cheery when everything was dead outside.
i love that idea!! and i would never have thought of it on my own! thanks pbtxlady
Linda, I think that, if you want them to keep growing and blooming, you need a very sunny window. I've brought in a lot of hibiscuses, and they all live, but they don't usually bloom like that. It's hard to get enough humidity for them in the house. Sometimes they just die back for the winter.
If that happens, don't be disappointed or give up on it. It may not brighten your winter kitchen, but it will still live and bloom for you next summer. And, it will be bigger and better than the relatively expensive little guys at the nurseries next spring. Well worth the trouble.
I plastic in a portion of my covered porch each winter, and I have a dozens of tropical hibs. Never lost one to cold or bugs. Not watering would be another subject however, lol.
this is all so encouraging--and i did go back and buy 3 hibiscus-one in bloom--i did not buy the hibiscus bush tho--do you like those? i might consider getting one-