Re: Carex
- To: s*@MAELSTROM.STJOHNS.EDU
- Subject: Re: [SG] Carex
- From: M* T*
- Date: Tue, 18 Jan 2000 23:41:02 -0500
Mea,
It can be grown in containers because it will tolerate this, which
some perennials won't do well. Some Carex like wet feet and some
don't. I, personally, don't know of any that are invasive. The ones
I grow expand clumps fairly slowly.
Most Carex are evergreen and those would need bright light and cool
temperature conditions to overwinter indoors, I should think. I have
read posts by people who have successfully wintered them over in a
garage with no light, but I'd think you'd have a healthier plant come
spring if it received light. Those that are not evergreen could be
wintered in a cool place (basement or garage) without supplemental
light.
I have found that even in only above freezing temperature places
indoors, plants will tend to break dormancy earlier than they do
outside, so you'd need to be able to move it to bright light
conditions when it did this. By bright light, I mean an east
window...not a south or west window where it can be too bright and
too hot. Or, you can move them to a place where you have fluorescent
plant lights on for 12 hours or more a day.
Any temperature range from above freezing to about 55 or 60F (during
the day), with cooler night than day temperatures should do.
If you have a cool greenhouse, that would be ideal. I have one
non-hardy variety that does fine in my cool greenhouse over winter.
Temps in there range from around 40F to 60F, with about 45F as a mean
when it gets pretty nippy out. You can also dig the containers into
the ground for winter or bury them in plunge beds of mulch or sand.
This, of course, for species that are normally winter hardy in z
7...some are not.
Marge Talt, zone 7 Maryland
mtalt@clark.net
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----------
> From: Zick, Mea <Mea.Zick@ARBITRON.COM>
> Date: Tuesday, January 18, 2000 10:56 AM
>
> It was mentioned that Carex was easy to grow in containers. -- Is
it grown
> in containers because it likes wet feet? Is invasive? Also, if
> container-grown, how should it be overwintered?
>
> Thanks!
> Mea Zick
> Maryland - Zone 7
