I may toss a couple of my large woody Brugmansias (starting over with cuttings). There are several smaller ones getting to a decent size (including 'Aztec Gold', which has flowered abundantly at only two feet tall) and there's only so much room in the crawl space for winter storage.

The crinums will probably all remain, especially as I've learned to let frost cut them down and not try to keep the foliage going year-round (few to no flowers that way for the hybrids).

All the tender decorative foliage bananas (including E. ventricosum 'Maurellii') will remain. Plain E. ventricosum will go. Again, lots of bananas, limited space.

I am a bad gardener I treat cannas and dahlias as you would annuals. Of course I am not talking about $15+ a plant plants either. At the box stores or even some of the nurseries you can purchase both at reasonable prices. It helps that there is a dahlia society that has a sale in May and if you wait until the last day the plants are cheaper.
My thing is herbs. I always buy the tender thymes and of course rosemary both of which I dearly love. If I keep in pots the rodents get them or when I bring in they become toast and dry up.

In saying this I did have both a canna and a dahlia live over but it looks like the 100+F got them. Better luck next year.

Doesn't SOUND like you are out of this phase yet! I am just at the very beginning of this phase and am now trying to figure out how to keep several more tender plants over the winter this year. I was already saving my Abutilon, Cannas, Dahlias, and many Crocosmias -- now I want to save, in one way or another, my Aeoniums, some Anigozanthus, a banana, a Colocasia, two black geraniums, some Coleus, six Euphorbia cotinifolia that I love, and maybe some Lantana that I had trouble finding the right color of this year. I may be asking everyone for helpful directions this fall!

I've stopped cannas, glads, and dahlias totally. Threw away my agapanthus, and am reconsidering my amaryllis. My wife won't let me dump the clivias however. Kevin, according to the hardy aroid list on the IAS site, you might be able to get some of those to survive in ground with the correct drainage, not certain about your exact microclimes there.

George

Crocosmia - let me know what kind of Colocasia you have and maybe I can help. Some are dead easy, some a bit more work.

Compared to what I used to save, I've really cut back. In past years I would take cuttings from about at least a dozen coleus, had dahlias, begonias, lots of strange small bulbs, tubers and rhizomes, callas and at one time about 40 amaryllis. I only have one now.

George - I have two clivias I like. In fact other than all the orchids I grow, those are my only houseplants in winter.

At this point, I really don't want to risk any of this stuff outdoors. Our winters have been so strange in recent years that many of my hardy perennials have a tough time. It's not so much the cold (we don't have those -20 temps anymore), but rather the lack of snow cover combined with at least a few weeks of "kind of cold" temps. I'm also not a mulcher.

K

I've had a couple of cannas for years and see no reason to dump them yet. They spend the winter in my livingroom, pretending to be house plants. Along with a lot of other stuff that has no business inside. Why do I need five rosemary plants. Most of them are years old - they come inside each winter, flower profusely and then need care until spring. But they look great now, blooming again and obviously happy to be outside.
My lemon tree belonged to my mother and is now 47 years old. Want to hang on to that though can't beieve it will have much of a future after I depart. But why the bay, the sweet olive, the three agapathus that never flowered this year, the pineapple sage and all the tender roses that would be happier in Georgia? In winter the livingroom is so crowded with plants there is no room for people.

I'm re-evaluating whether I want to grow so many annuals. Most of them are in pottery on my two patios, and I'll be the first to admit I don't keep up with the watering = ratty looking annuals by this time of year (I just purged a lot of annuals the other night). I also have some lovely perennials in pottery and wood barrels (ferns, rodgersia) and these manage to look lush even if I go a bit too long between watering. Plus, once I shell out the dough, its mine, and the perennials just keep getting bigger and better every year, whereas have to keep plunking down the cash every year for annuals only to toss them in August). So I'm starting to view all these annuals as a big waste of money. I overwinter the perennials next to the house over the winter, the pots barricaded against the house with lawn bags stuffed with leaves - works great.

Oh, I'll still put in some annuals, but I think starting next year I'm really going to cut back and fill up the planters with perennials with great foliage to carry me through the summer.

I know what you mean. I stopped compulsively taking cuttings of ALL my coleus, impatiens and geraniums, for instance.

The amaryllis are not negotiable. They stay. Ditto for the oleander that gets hauled in every winter. and the hibiscus and crown of thorns and grapefruit tree... *sigh*

Crocosmia is tender? Then why do so many people in Canada leave it in the ground? Just mulch them and leave them.

Janet's Garden

There are some annuals I'd never do without. Nicotiana sylvestris is one - have to find room for a few plants each year and it is a biggie. Ageratum Blue Horizon is another - at this time of year it's a river of blue and visitors do a double take when they see it. Verbena bonarensis is seeding itself in a nice way and at the moment is pretending to climb my new garden arch.
Janet, how do you get your amaryllis to flower?

This is an interesting topic and my curiosity is piqued about a few plants I have not tried. But here are some of mine:

(I should preface what I say by mentioning that I DO have a greenhouse, so even though I run out of space, keeping plants over is a heck of a lot easier for me than people without):Those which are not making the cut:

Euphorbia mellifera. I brought one back from England 4-5 years ago, knowing it was not hardy (z 7-8) but having seen it there as a beautiful big plant. It thrived one summer I grew it in the ground in the garden, but never bloomed even when I dug it up, then replanted it in the spring. And it doesn't seem to like a container, so out it goes.

E. charcias wulfenii, nice in bloom in the greenhouse in March, but so is a lot of other stuff, and then doesn't look great in the pot in the summer. I will keep one beautiful cream variegated plant I brought from England though (much nicer than Tasmanian Tiger and looks great all summer).

Abutilons -- I have a yellow and a small dwark brick-orange that I am keeping, but the others go. I suspect they just need to be repotted,

I overwinter a few tender salvias every year, they vary, but I have 2 in big pots that probably are just staying there indefinitely (S. leucantha sp, and 'Santa Barbara'). I want t get S. mexicana Limelight for a pot, grew it in the garden one year, and it just got forzen out as it was coming into full bloom. What a beauty. Also want to get the yellow foliaged form of S. elegans.

I have a pale yellow oleander that I kept for 2 years and never thrived, but then this year got the full, full sun and heat it wanted and is just covered with flowers. Definite keeper. Also my plumbago, Tibouchina (spp.???, not sure). Clivias all stay. I have trouble getting my agapanthus to bloom very well (one of the dwarfer, darker blues) so it may go. Plectranthus hillardiae and another sp.? I have stay, they bloom through fall winter and spring and are lovely in summer in part shade too with dark lovely foliage.

Lots of species cyclamen (gotta start watering them soon...) are definite keepers.

I am a non-fan of cannas usually, but I have a pale yellow one with rose throated blooms and beautiful blue gray foliage, a work of art, and the hummers love it. I recall it came from Pamela Harper's garden.

Dahlia Bishop of Llangsdork I have grown in a pot for 3 years and it is staying.

Speaking of langsdorf, I must get again Nicotiana langsdorfii, one of the best annuals I ever grew and self seeded in all the right spots in my old garden. I love the effect it gives. Flowers are lighter textured that most nicotianas and they are in a lime green chrtreuse that enhances every color nearby.

I would be in trouble if I had a GH. I try to stick with things that can go dormant in winter. I have a room in my basement that stays at about 40 or lower throughout the winter. For the plants that still want light, but cool to cold temps, the second floor of my house is unheated in the winter, but temps stay above freezing. It comes in real handy for plants like the agapanthus.

Kevin

"Dahlia Bishop of Llangsdork I have grown in a pot for 3 years"

Fascinating (as Spock would say), but are you sure you don't mean Bishop of Llandaff? ;)

I agree that it's a nice Dahlia, but unless pinched back once or twice it careens all over the place and needs to be staked.

he he, I think "Llangsdork" has a nice ring to it....

I usually save a bunch of things when the frost threatens only to slowly let them die off over the winter. Usually I forget to water some time in early March and that does the last annuals in.

But of course I'll still keep trying. I know there are a few like the variegated ficus benj. and several cactus that will receive decent treatment, but the coleus, geraniums, begonias and other assorted annuals will have to suffer through their usual abuse.

I will save the bananas, Xanthosoma, Alocasias, agaves, cannas and even the sweet potato tubers.... pretty much everything that can handle a semi dormant winter.

I'm considering trying to overwinter some papyrus and asparagus fern. Why am I bothering to try and save a 5 foot swamp plant and a $1 accent annual?.... I don't know.... I guess I want a 6 foot swamp plant next year and $5 accent annuals.

I miss the brugs. They got a little too big and I thought I could live without them but now I know better. This fall I'll be taking cuttings from their offspring across town and bring the little plants back home.

kato

I was going to post a question about saving sweet potato tubers. Are you talking about the ornamental kind? I tried it one year and they didn't survive. What's the trick?

Kevin

Kevin, I also have not had any luck with ornamental sweet potato tubers. If I want to keep some over the winter, I simply take a cutting, and water root it and then a month later, take a cutting from this one and throw the old one away and so on. They look very ornamental in a crystal vase in a sunny window and it keeps them over fine. Can do several kinds in the same vase for effect and space economy.

George

George

Thanks. That's the same technique I used to use with colius. There must be a way to keep the tubers though. I'll wait and see if anyone responds. If not, I'll post the question somewhere. It seems I read that sweet potatoes have to be stored warm and not cold. Maybe that was the problem.

K

Well, eric, thanks for correcting both my spelling error AND my blooper (that was a good one, wasn't it?). I am sure that Bishop is rolling in his grave, thinking I called him a dork...but I too like the 'ring'....

Yes, you are right, that Dahlia B of L (how's that for an easy way out....) does careen some, but around my other pots and protected from the wind, it does actually work as a potted plant. I think I am going to put it in the ground next year.

I always keep Dahlia 'B of L' and plant it both in containers, and in the ground every year. Waterlilies I will again winter over, along with a new Canna called 'Panache' with lovely open light yellow flowers with a pink blush, not like the usual flowers of most cannas.

I'll try Colocasias again, by just letting them go dormant in their pots.
Most other annuals, I don't try to keep over. I just don't have the room to keep these all as houseplants.

I will keep Colocasia 'Black Dragon'. It failed miserably in the ground because I can't keep it wet enough in the summer, but it was too wet in the winter. I have it now in a lined cast iron pot and it performed very well in that locale because it water requirements were met.

I also trouble with several Coleus. C. 'Blackberry Waffle' I will probably let go. The color wasn't rich enough, but I will keep 'Swinging Linda', 'Gynnis', and 'Alabama Sunset'.

I also keep Alternathera 'Red Threads' every year. Just give it a good haircut. Also, a Mandevilla vine. I typically keep one of those spikey dracenias on hand too, but after two years or so, they just get too woody and I repurchase a fresh one. Oh, and I have a huge Angel Wing Begonia that always gets moved inside.

I really need a greenhouse or a solarium.

My photo doesn't do it justice, but you can get a glimmer of why I need to overwinter this tropical Euphorbia cotinifolia. Maybe even all six of them? Do I dare to just dig it up, chop it down to a more reasonable size, and try to keep it in my one sunny window or under gro-lights? It was very cheap at the Friends School plant sale (but $10 a plant on the internet), but what if Friends doesn't sell it next year......
{{gwi:262922}}

I'm also a fan of Alternanthera 'Red Threads' and cutting-grown plants do pretty well under lights through the winter, so it's worthwhile to keep from year to year (on the other hand, it's tougher to maintain numerous tender or marginal Salvias such as S. guaranitica and 'Indigo Spires', which look pretty miserable by the time spring rolls around again).

I generally keep at least a dozen Coleus going under lights and heavily propagate favorites and new varieties for mass border planting. Two good ones this year have been "Freckles" (excellent for butterscotch lovers) and "Sedona" (none of the pictures available on Google image search do it justice).

Hibiscus acetosella is a terrific foliage plant and worth maintaining via cuttings (both the heavily cut-leaf and more maple leaf-type varieties).

Scented Geraniums and my Rosemary are about all I move in for the winter in their pots, but this year want to try lantana ( a few plants and also some cuttings)

Crocosmia--in your photo ( very nice by the way) what is your red daylily. I like the upright cup shape.

On the ornamental sweet potatoes--I use to purchase Blackie and Ace of Spade and Marguarite, but the last two seasons have found myself instead getting Sweet Caroline Purple as it's more compact for containers. My Sweet Caroline Purple puts on little purple and white blooms and the ones hanging over hte edge of the raised herb bed reseeded and sprouted up in the mulch in front of the bed this year. There is two small sweet potato vines . I don't know if it's a normal thing for this selection for not, but I was really pleasantly surprised. It may not happen again. I don't save the original vine but would love to hear if someone knows how to save the tublers

I don't know what the red daylily in the foreground is, although I could make some guesses. The one in the middle of the photo is actually a wonderful vermillion color, my favorite daylily, and called "Taiga Fire." A couple of weeks ago I took a bloom from this daylily to a Hemerocallis Society show, just to see what they could tell me about it, and it was basically sneered at as dreadfully old-fashioned. But I love the older, trumpet-shaped blooms and the bolder, cleaner colors, so that's what most of my daylilies are (rather than the round, flat, ruffled, murky pastels that are apparently mainly what's being bred now!) Sorry, just a BIT off-topic, but I was so surprised at their attitude.

OK, I did a Google about saving sweet potatoes and found this posted on another GW forum:

"I save them every year and store them in a cool room in basement( paper bags with peatmoss) until April and then pot them up. Check on them a couple of times to make sure they aren't too dry. I ended up with alot of the tricolored ones this year.
I also overwinter geraniums in paper bags.
Happy Gardening!
Boop"

I wonder if they have to be cured first?

Kevin

Hi Kevin,
I'll check back tonight with more info but my storage for the sweet potatos has been very basic. I let them dry off for a day or two and then wrap them in a few layers of newspaper, throw them in a plastic bag and stick them in a closet.... pretty basic right?
gotta go

Yes, very basic. I was reading about sweet potato storage and really got confused. It seems with the regular, eating kind there is a curing process involved and then a very specific temperature range you have to keep them at. Do you store them warm, cool or cold? I want to try doing this again.

K

I had the best luck when I kept them dry and warm. There are surely better and more scientific methods out there but all I did was keep them in a bag in the bottom of one of the bedroom closets. Didn't do a thing all winter except maybe peek into the bag once or twice to see if they were rotting.
Once springtime rolls around I stick the tuber in a dish or mug with part of the tuber touching the water. Within days shoots form and in a few weeks the shoots can be snapped off and rooted in water or soil.

I had the potatoes rot if they were kept damp over the winter or if the got cool.... I bet there is a way to cure them, sometimes I've had them shrivel up over the winter and I bet it's because they weren't cured properly.

.... I'm not ready for winter. I want everything to keep growing outside for another few months.

For what it's worth Crocosmia (coming from a non-Hemerocallis fanatic), that's a knockout daylily.

kato - Thanks. That seems to follow with what I read about storing regular sweet potatoes. It also said that the tubers rot very easily if bruised in the slightest or if the roots are damaged.

Kevin

I am not sure if this is the thread to get on but I need help. My girls gave me 3 david viburnums for an aniversary gift. The trouble is that they are hardy to zone (7)8 and we live in zone 5. Since these stay relatively small in height I am tempted to plant them outside next spring and protecting them next winter. They are so beautiful and I have the perfect spot for them and I have to know that I can protect them enough otherwise they go into containers for the deck...any suggestions? I am willing to do just about anything to protect them (placing straw all around them?)

Thanks1
Vicki

Vicki, you may get more responses if you start a new post with your question. I won't say it's impossible to protect them, but that's a pretty large zone variance. If it were me I'd put them in pots so they could be moved into a garage or someplace foe winter.

I need help deciding wether or not I can plant my zone 7 david viburnums outside in our zone (5)6 yard next spring. I will over winter them in an unheated basement. My non-gardening daughters gave me 3 of them for an aniversary gift. Since these stay relatively small in height I am tempted to plant them outside next spring and some how protecting them next winter. They are so beautiful and I have the perfect spot for them and I have to know that I can protect them enough otherwise they go into containers for the deck...any suggestions? I am willing to do just about anything to protect them (placing straw all around them?) I just got done reading about Japanese maples growing in Canada's zone 3 with winter protection so I have hope!
Thanks
Vicki

Vicki, you need to go back to the main page of the perennial form, then go to the bootom of it to post a new question. Sorry I don't know the answer but as hostaholic said, you will probably be better off putting them in pots. Good Luck! Kim

From what I understand, David viburnums can be damaged even in zone 7, so I would also say no. I can overwinter some things some winters that are hardy in zone 8, but those are all bulb types. I think you would have more problems with a shrub.

Hey, Kevin, I was inclined to let my agapanthus go as have not had any bloom for the last two years. Since my sister took two tropical hibiscus to TX with her I had room to bring them in and try one more year. The hibiscus get too buggy for me.

I have moved the agapanthus to more sun, watered more often, fertilized, etc. but no bloom.

I read seveal threads for info but thought that you being a neighbor ( I live in Maple Grove.) your advice would be more related to my growing conditions.

Decided not to dig up my glads this fall. May buy new ones next year or replace them with something else.

Crocosmias look lovely but I don't want more bulbs to overwinter inside.

I have three amarylis bulbs, one several years old. They are so easy to just stick in any open spot in the garden until I bring them in in the fall. One year I forgot about my older amarylis bulb and didn't find & pot it up until the next year. No bloom that year but it grew all summer and bloomed the next winter. I've had repotting the bulbs on my to do list for a couple of weeks...maybe tomorrow.

I love my "tree" bouganvillia and also saved a varigated one but let the others go.

Dahlias, cannas, calla lily bulbs, gardenia (got a blossom today, so fragrant), star jasmine, a soft pink fuschia (now full of buds), fig tree, huge jade plant, rosemary, red cyclamin (full bloom), purple dracenia, a clover from CA, and Santa Barbarba daisy (tiny flowes) from CA plus a few other plants winter in my basement or in my cool living room.

A small yellow Japanese maple tree, (growing from seedling from my CA sister-in-law's tree), Cecil Brunner rose (a cutting from same sister-in-law), money plant, and a pink mini-rose are spending the winter in my unheated garage.
Also have a huge pot with a dwarf arborvite and daffodil and tulip bulbs in the garage. Had success with bulbs surviving last winter in the garage and blooming this spring.

All those plants and more, maybe I need to do some more culling next year though I will probably ADD more as today I received some "exotic Japanese Maple" seeds in the mail.
Bobbie

Bobbie

Happy to see another MN agapanthus lover. I find these very easy, but you can't grow these as house plants all winter. They have to rest. Right now, mine are in a north facing window (actually on the floor in front of a north window) in an unheated part of my house. The temps usually stay in the 50's but can dip into the high 30's if it's very cold outside. They are kept bone dry except for maybe a cup or two of water per month. A lot of the leaves turn yellow, but that's OK. Come March as the days get longer, I start to water them more. If you haven't divided them in a few years, I would also suggest doing that in early spring. Once they start pushing themselves out of their pots, they're too crowded and won't bloom as well. I move the plants outside in mid April as long is it doesn't get too cold at night. A few years ago, they got snowed on and it didn't hurt them at all. If you move them outside early, you don't have to go through that hardening off process. Some of the green foliage may burn, but not enough to hurt the plant. During the summer they get a lot of water, sun and fertilizer.

I've also read that some people keep these in their cold basements in darkness over winter. Never tried that.

Hope that helps.

Kevin