I think you are ok at the mid-40's, but if it were me, I'd be moving them. Where will they overwinter? Garage?
K

Matt, I kind of agree with Kristi. Our temps are going down to the 50's, not below yet, but when they start to go down to the mid 40's and stay there I will be bringing mine in too. I was hoping we'd have a warmer fall but the night are getting cool fast. If they get wet and stay that way the cool night temps will lead to rot. Great for sleeping though...âºâºâºDonna

Thanks...they will be overwintering in my basement.
I have lots of new baby bulbs that I plan on keeping by a window so they can keep growing.

Matthew

Matt, I'd move them into the cooler basement and let them dry out and let the leaves dry back...then you should be set for spring.

Here in Spring (where I wish it WAS always Spring!), it seems to get cold fast. I'll be traveling soon and I think we'll be ok because our nights are down in the 60s, but we've had freezes (ya ya ya) in mid-October. There will be a mad rush to get 300+ pots cut and into the GH!! YIKES!!!
K

Since I am in the slow process of moving about 3 and a half hours north of my current position, I was not all that certain how I was going to handle my bulb collection.

The southern location has enough window light to move everyone indoors when it starts to get cold, and I just allow them to struggle through the winter with lower light, and grow as they wish.

At my new northern location, there is very little window space or light, so I have been forced to place them all into a forced dormancy... something I would not ordinarily do.

I have a 4 shelf mini-greenhouse with a plastic cover, that can be easily rolled on casters. I placed it at the darker end of the basement, gave every Hippeastrum a haircut so they would fit on the shelves, and hung a black lawn sized garbage bag, flat, in the front, so they would stay mostly in the dark... since there's a light bulb that remains on almost all the time in the laundry room at the other end of the basement.

It about killed me to cut off all those beautiful leaves, but I just didn't have a choice. The pots will dry out, and remain dry until I see some sort of life in early spring... or until such time as I am able to bring them back up out of the basement and onto the deck outside.

I really hope I did the right thing... I just didn't have any other choice. I've never forced a bulb before, as most of you know... preferring to allow them to grow as houseplants, on their own schedule.

I did re-pot the majority of them at the beginning of summer, using larger unglazed clay pots and putting 2, 3, or 4 bulbs together in each pot, to save space and kind of conglomerate them into a smaller collection due to space restrictions.

The few other plants I have that aren't bulbs fit in a few windows, and should get enough light to make it through winter.

I'm just hoping for the best... this is not my usual pattern of growth when it comes to my Amaryllids.

Jodi,

Good luck with your bulbs. It is hard to move to a new location and have to learn what works by experience. Like they say, "experience is the harshest teacher, you take the test first and learn the lesson afterwards." I especially hope your Minerva thrives where you are.
-J

Thanks so much! :-)

I think everything will be okay... as long as the cat doesn't develop an interest in using the pots as a litter box! ;-)

I hope, too, that my larger and stronger bulbs - especially "Minerva" - can deal with the change, but honestly, I think they'll be okay.

Now, I just have to figure out how to deal with my two really big pots... a Plumeria, and a Hymenocallis! And I have to figure out where to store my potted Japanese Maple!

Ah, well... we win some and we lose some, and we learn along the way. I figure if I lose a bunch of bulbs, it might give me the excuse I need to get into orchids a little more! ;-)

i've been re-blooming my miverva's for 3-6 yrs and i bring them in only when it drops to below 42F at nite. which for me here almost to mid-nov. however i water them very lightly once the temp drop at nite to below 60 and then stop watering altogether when temps drop to below 50F and make sure they are under roof - no rain allowed.
they take a very long time to decline for me. usually after 1 mo of total dryness they still have most leaves on and only 4-5 weeks of total darkness forces leaves to yellow completely. it's really best for me if they are totally yellow BEFORE i bring them in, but that means that i have to stop watering 2 months before!
we have steady low 50s at nite now, but occasionally low 60s still. i stopped watering 2 weeks ago, which is the earliest ever for me. and before that i watered for sev weeks just barely, in dribbles.
every fall i keep thinking - if it'a at least mid to hi 60s during the day i should let them grow and give them just a little drink.
but finally i decided to be firm - i really want to clean them up without cutting off the leaves by x-giving. i've never been able to do it actually before.
if they still have many green leaves by nov 1 - i'll stick them in a dark room anyway.
just curious, if anybody tried to keep them without water for how long at may be low 40 nite - mid 50s day? it seems they are able to just hold leaves forever, so long as it's above mid 30s...

Hi! How many pots are you dealing with?
Kristi

I'm sure I'll leave mine outside as long as it stays in high 40s - low 50s during the day. If temps drop close to freezing I can always move my dozen pots in for the night. A whole bunch of Epiphyllums and Cattleyas will be keeping them company on the balcony. Goes without saying they will be getting next to no water.
So far it has been rather warm here (southern Germany) and I still water, albeit more sparingly than in the summer.
And, as I mentioned in another thread, my Neon is growing yet another scape ( the last one wilted in late August).

Lena