OK, I know it's spring, but I've been doing some research about overwintering epis. I live in MN, zone 4. I need to bring tender plants in for the winter, so I have to keep in mind how many I have room for when aquiring new plant buddies. I was just reading that epis need a dormant period, that they would overwinter just fine in a cool, dark cellar-is this true? Has anyone done this? I have a giant cool dark "cellar"-if I can use this area to overwinter epis, it would be great. I have a nice shaded patio for them to spend the summer, I just have to figure out where to put them for the winter.
Thanks!
Deb
Overwintering Epis
No plant wants to live in complete darkness, that's just a method for forcing Zygos to bloom on command.
When I overwinter my Epi/Zygos I am less concerned about lighting than in the spring. You want to keep them cool, mine live in the basement by the sliding glass door. I keep them just watered enough to keep them from shriveling. No fertilzer, no nothing. Just quiet, some light and some water.
I don't get the blooms some with greenhouses do, but I am happy, and its the best I can do without one.
I keep mine in my downstairs garage. It stays around 45 all winter, but they do get light.
I haven't had any blooms yet but they are only 2 years old.
Roxanne
Thanks, Roxxanne (and AnalogDog, too!) I'm thinking of rigging up a light stand in the basement for them-it will be cool and they should get enough light, too.
Last year we put two thermometers in the garage. One near the garage door and the other to door going into the house. We found that the one near the garage door was 10-15 degrees warmer then it was outside and the one near the house door was 5 degrees warmer then that. I would suggest doing that before puttting them in the garage.Our heater is located in the garage also so that could be fudging the numbers a little.
We purchased some shelves from Sams that are called wire shelves. We are going to rig some lights and a timer on it.Then we will put our older plants on them. The selves are also on wheels so they can ge rolled around the garage easy.But I live in Texas we don't get as cold as Mn. We may get below zero weather maybe every 2-3 years. If it does get that cold the plants can be rolled into the house.
This is the first year I got good buds. This winter I had my epis in my art studio set at 55 degrees and watered about once a month. They had north light from a big window. I increased the water in early spring and added miracle grow for houseplants to the water. I would think Massachusetts conditions would be similar to MN.
Thanks, Boojum! I would think that your winters are very similar to ours (and probably just as long!)
Yup!