Re: QUESTION: Heuchera; Tiarella & Heucherella (1st year seedlings = winter-hardiness?)

Hello William:

Temperatures in East Central Iowa can get down to 25-30 below, so I know of
what you go through.

My perennial seedlings stay outside even though they must endure a harsh
winter. My seedlings are growing either in the ground or in pots placed in
the ground over winter. I cover them with straw. I have few failures.

Since your seedlings are perennials, they require a cold period. It is best
to leave them outside rather grow them under lights over winter. As the
weather warms in spring, gradually uncover the seedlings (they should not be
in direct sun all day, though
partial sun in the morning is OK).

I tried wintering over seedlings under lights; it didn't work. Some were too
damp; some became leggy. I spent a lot of effort hardening them off once
they were moved outside again in the spring. It's best to plant them now and
leave them.

John Adney
Marion, Iowa (zones 4-5)


-----Original Message-----
From: WiN <raffi@SYMPATICO.CA>
To: shadegardens@MAELSTROM.STJOHNS.EDU <shadegardens@MAELSTROM.STJOHNS.EDU>
Date: Wednesday, September 22, 1999 8:40 PM
Subject: [SG] QUESTION: Heuchera; Tiarella & Heucherella (1st year seedlings
= winter-hardiness?)


>Hi y'all.
>           As an intro, my name is William Nash; I live in Southern Ontario
>Canada (70 miles north of Niagara Falls -- as the crow flies?) and my hobby
>is growing certain types of perennial seedlings, mostly hostas.
>           Last March, I started some seedlings from Heuchera, Tiarella &
>Heucherella, from my own seed collection.  These plants are now about 2
>inches in height and diameter; and some of these I find quite attractive,
>so I would not like to lose them by our minus 25 degree Fahrenheit winters
>outdoors.
>           I have fluorescent lights in the basement, so I'm thinking to
>pot them and bring them indoors just to be safe.  The question I would like
>to ask everyone and anyone here is this:
>-->> Does anyone know if these plants would survive outdoors, being only a
>couple inches by size (height & diameter)?
>-->> If you were doing this, would you bring them inside or leave them
outside.
>
>It took a lot of work to get these seedlings to the stage they are at now,
>so I would hate to blow it all away, by leaving them outdoors, if they are
>not as hardy as hosta-seedlings for example?   Any help would be greatly
>appreciated; I thank you kindly in advance and am...
>hostally yours
>the'SHADOW'gardener
>email: "William Nash" <raffi@sympatico.ca>
>Personal Website URL = http://www3.sympatico.ca/raffi/
>TO JOIN hybridizer's list-server = http://www.onelist.com/subscribe/nise
>TO JOIN hosta-picture-group list-server =
>http://www.onelist.com/subscribe/hostapix
>TO JOIN AHS POLITICAL FORUM = http://www.onelist.com/subscribe/ahspol
>A Seed-bank/exchange in NORWAY =
>http://www.iril.no/garden/garden/plants_seeds1998.htm
Other Mailing lists | Author Index | Date Index | Subject Index | Thread Index