winter dormancy
- To: m*@ucdavis.edu
- Subject: winter dormancy
- From: f* h*
- Date: Wed, 1 Dec 1999 10:39:38 -0500 (EST)
Moira: Your glasshouse conditions sound like those in my south-facing,
unheated sunroom except outside light comes only from one large window and a
patio door, although some plants do winter in a warmer spot under artificial
lights. Here is a rundown of what is happening with my Medit. plants in a
non-Medit. climate:
Sprouting Vigorously: Leonotus leonurus (at base), Lagerstromia (along
branches), Tibouchina - at nodes (dropped its leaves first), Jasmines,
Leptospermum, Erythrina crista-galli (leaf drop first)
Look 'dead': Chiliopsis (desert willow), Albizia j., and Acacia retinodes
Evergreen - Duvernoia, Feijoa, Myrtus communis, Sutherlandia and Citrus,
Podranea (just finished blooming)
Flower buds - Veltheimia, Abutilon, Punica, Pittisporum, Camillia and
Sparmannia.
Total drying - Eucomis and Roscoea.
I tend to water and fertilize with a light hand anyway - but it certainly
requires constant vigilance to make sure you don't kill them either from
drowning or drying out. It's such a joy to have these wonderful blooms when
it's so bleak outside and I do love hearing from both experts and
non-experts on this list about their experiences.
Frances Howey
London, Ontario
Canada
Zone 5b where after -7C last night, it's +5C and sunny this morning - light
snow over most of the ground except on south-facing rock garden.
