Last pots in the garage, help! (I'm in 7b)

Hey. I have 2 society garlic plants, 6 or so crinums (most small - golf to tennis ball size) and 8-1 gallon agapantus. Because they are my favorite, I never planted them because I couldn't find the 'Perfect" spot. Stupid! Now it's mid-November and I'm panicing!

1) Do I keep the agapanthus and garlic in the garage and keep watering throughout the winter (hardly and light). Or should I just get them in the ground somewhere?

2) For the crinum bulbs, do I take them out of the small bit of dirt they are in, leave them bare, dry and dark in the garage for the winter? Or, again, should I just ry and get them in the ground somewhere?

I appreciate the help. I'm going to post this in a couple of other places too so I can get more opinions.

Thanks all!

My society garlic and agapanthus has been comming back for the last 3-4 years.
The society garlic is still green and standing strong. Has not been effected by the frost.
The agapanthus leaves have turned yellow.
I would think it would be fine to plant them now, we still have some great weather ahead of us.(except for the lack of rain)

As far as the crinum, I ordered my first one from Onalee's 1/07, her instructions were to plant right away.
It bloomed beautifully in spring.

Hope this helps,
chris

Ok. Sounds like you are saying to try to get them in the ground now, don't overwinter in the garage.

Now I'm really confused. I got diff. info. in another thread. Does everyone agree with this or not?

Sound's like y'all are telling me to over winter everything.

Societ garlic and agapanthus: keep potted, cut back water and let die back in the garage where there is very little light.

Crinums: remove small amount of dirt on them, let dry out and foliage die back, store in garage.

Correct?

My thoughts were to get them in the ground now, The crinums I bought were dug out of the Florida ground (leaves were cut back) and sent to me wrapped in damp newspaper, I planted them as soon as they arrived. Jan. 07. They bloomed well in the spring of 07.
I would go with whatever opinions you get in majority. Or with the opinion of one of the many more experienced gardeners on here.
Good luck,
chris

If you have to put more weight on some opinions than others, I'd go with whoever lives the closest to you.

I don't know the hardiness of any of those off the top of my head, but in my mind the only reason not to plant them now would be if they're borderline hardy in your zone, then it might be better to overwinter them somewhere else first. But if they're reliably hardy in your zone then I think they'll be happier in the ground (not to mention things that are planted in the fall tend to take off and grow big and bloom faster the following year than things that are planted in the spring).

I went and read your other threads out of curiosity, and I think that some of the people who were telling you not to plant them were telling you that because they're looking at these as being summer bulbs, and now is the time of year to plant spring bulbs but not summer ones. They weren't necessarily thinking about the fact that you're not planting the bulbs, with the exception of the crinum you've got already grown plants so it doesn't matter if it's the right time of year to plant summer bulbs. So to me I'd think about them as you would any other plant--if they're reliably hardy in your zone get them in the ground, but if they're borderline then overwinter them. I don't know about crinums, but since the foliage on the others doesn't die back over the winter, I think the plant will in general be happier if you have it in the garden for the winter.

Listen to Ecrane he is very knowledgable. I will weigh in with him. I also would put anything you can in the ground. You don't have to worry about it. It will get water and will go through the seasonal changes in your zone. In the garage you have to check it so it does not dry out too much and or if you forget to get it out early enough in srping it could get rot and mold. In the ground is it's best chance to survive. It will send out roots and pick up food , minerals and get water as necessary. You can always move em in spring when you see them greening up.
Left in the garage is not the best idea at all because you have to monitor and manage its survival.
Good luck from an advanced Master Gardener.

Hey jazzy, Ecrane's a she :) And yes she is very knowledgable!

Thanks for all the help everyone. I'll get them in the ground SOMEWHERE this weekend. Even if it is just a holding bed. It's shaded during summer, but in winter it get's as much sun as anywhere because all the leaves are off of the trees. I'll worry about the "perfect" spot in the spring!

Thanks again!

Hello Plantfreak thanks for the heads up on Ecrane!! So sorry Ecrane I'm new here and have been traveling around and I saw your sage advise many times and see you are very knowledgable. Your
name sort of sounded masculine to me but in reality a CRANE is just a bird with an indeterminate sex!! I just want to say hi to all here and sorry Ecrane I should have known you were a woman.
Please forgive!!

ecrain ,among others, gave me some very helpful advice yesterday.i thought it was a man also. how about a profile?after april, i'll be back on this(daves ) site and join .so thankful i found you guys,i've been on my own for 50 years working out my problems.it helped to get a computer last year, and learn how to (kinda)use it

If you click on my username, you'll see a pic of me with my dog, hopefully that gives away that I'm a girl :-) No apologies necessary--you're not the first to think I was a guy, several other people have assumed that as well. I guess I could have done a better job picking a username--I just used the same one that I had for my email account so it would be easy to remember! And now too many people know me so it would be too confusing to change it.

If must confess, I too always assumed you were a man. I've seen your valuable advice in many forums. Thanks!

Isn't it weird how we associate gender with the look or sound of a word?

I went and looked at your photo. Now I will have your face pop in my mind every time I read your name instead of a generic male figure!

Catherine - female ;)

ecrain,i have six rescue dogs,two cats from the woods,and a bird that cusses.want a bird?

p.s. i'm a girl

No thanks on the bird--I wouldn't know the first thing about taking care of it!