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schefflera

Hi Margaret!

Get your schefflera indoors when the temps get 45-50 degrees. This is a
tropical plant; it doesn't like cool temperatures. 

Today and through the weekend, temps in my area are forecast for mid 70s
for highs and mid to upper 40s for lows, so it's time to get the
scheffleras ready for coming indoors from the deck where they have
summered well.

Except for one. A variegated type has been damaged badly by the start of
root rot (I think) caused by a thunderstorm last week while I was out of
town. I had the pot sitting inside a ceramic planter with no drainage
holes; the water built up and the scheff sloshed with overly wet feet.
It didn't look very happy when I got home Monday afternoon. Tuesday, I
unpotted it, removed all the soil, cut back damaged roots and sickly
stems and then repotted in fresh soil (not watering). I think it will
survive but it doesn't look very refreshing right now. I'm putting it on
the deck during the days and bringing it in at night since lows now are
below 50.

Other scheffs were not in unholey pots so they were not drowning. They
are now also cozy indoors at night but return to the deck in the
morning, along with rhizomatous and cane begonias. 

Ivies, cacti and geraniums are somewhat hardier and remain outdoors in
their pots, though I am now taking cuttings of geraniums for new plants
next spring. The parent geranium plants that are cut back will stay in
their pots and be brought in later when temps are more chilly.

My Christmas and Easter cacti are left outdoors until temps get close to
freezing. It seems to give them a good spurt for blooming later on.

Other plants I've prepared for winter indoors (but are staying outside
for awhile longer) include impatiens, hibiscus, wax begonias and banana
and a few other tropicals. The lights are set up for another season of
growth and blooming indoors. 

These are pleasant days, indeed. While I'm sorry to witness the eventual
demise of the perennial gardens, I look forward to being snug with other
favorite plants indoors.

Don't forget to feed the birds! The time is now to set up feeders for
enjoyment this winter. Last winter I counted more than 2 dozen cardinals
setting at one time on a crab apple tree (backyard) covered with fluffy
snow. What a show!

Peace,

John G. Adney
Marion, Iowa
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