RE: Question about overwintering annuals

Elephant ears:

I dig mine up, cut off the foliage other than a small stem, let them dry
out on the cement blocks in the sun. I then store the -- yipes, what is
the proper word, bulb?, in my basement for the winter. It is heated, but
cool. 

My taros are left in the pot in a saucer of water that is kept full.
They get a bit shabby by spring, but come right back as soon as I put
them in the pond.

Found that not pulling out, cleaning up my seed geraniums (annual here),
they do seed around and come back in the spring. They get a later start,
but can't tell the difference by the end of June. Same thing happens
with my Salvias if they are near a gravel area. I have them blooming in
my walkway now, since I never got a chance to move them.

Gerbera Daisies, can't you save the seeds and start next spring?

Donna, zone 5, IL
If this has already been stated, sorry, my e-box is a mess.....


> > I have several annuals (or maybe they are tender perennials?) I'd
like
> to
> > overwinter, since replacing them every year is getting prohibitively
> expensive.
> > They include New Guinea Impatiens, Lantana, several salvias
including an
> > enormous "bush" of one called Black and Blue, Elephant Ears,
> Gartenmeister
> Fuchsias,
> > non-hardy Geraniums, flowering maples, and Gerbera Daisies. I've
also
> got
> > some half dozen or more of the new sun Coleus, but those I know I
can
> take
> > cuttings from to start new plants. What should I do with the other
ones?
> I
> don't
> > have a basement or enclosed porch. I do have an unheated garage, but
> around here
> > it will eventually plummet well below freezing. Can they be
drastically
> cut
> > back? Which ones will grow from cuttings? I have a small bench in
front
> of
> one
> > sliding glass door, but otherwise lack any more space, so I can't
bring
> in
> > whole plants; there just isn't any room or enough light.
> >
> > TIA for advice!
> >
> > Maddy Mason
> > Hudson Valley, NY  zone 5/6

---------------------------------------------------------------------
To sign-off this list, send email to majordomo@hort.net with the
message text UNSUBSCRIBE GARDENCHAT
Other Mailing lists | Author Index | Date Index | Subject Index | Thread Index