Once a month, since October, I've been trekking down to the basement to sprinkle my tropicals with water and check them over. Happily, I think they've all survived the imposed dormancy with the possible exception being the Cape Huneysuckle ~ I'm not quite ready to throw in the towel on it yet tho. New growth is sprouting from almost everything and even some "extras" I hadn't planned on. Like phygelius 'Croftway Yellow' that I bought on clearance in September:
I had planted it in my 'Moonlight Parfait' Mandevilla container and being to lazy to separate annuals from vines/tropicals I wanted to keep, the container went into the basement with all contents intact. The phygelius is now sprouting new leaves and is a happy survivor I hadn't counted on. Another container that went into the basement as a unit was my tropical theme one:
I primarily wanted to overwinter the 'Tropicanna' Canna & 'The Path' hibiscus (which did make it) but I also managed to keep the lantana and 'Red Dragon' Maurandya alive. Yay. I'm going to have lots to work with this spring, aren't I? Even the Tibouchina is sprouting new growth:
The 'Pink Dream' Abutilon is coming out as well as the Agapanthus. It's time to start moving all these containers upstairs and begin carefully acclimating them to the outdoors. Often I move them into the garage first. I can leave my door up during the day which gives them plenty of light but yet, if we have an unexpected cold snap, they are protected without the extra work of me moving them back indoors. Every spring I'm always glad I took the time to save these tender plants in the fall. It's definitely a little work but look how far ahead it puts you come gardening season (plus the added bonus of saving me all that extra $$ that I can now spend on new plants!!!). Now you know my real motivation!!
Kathleen you have such patience and care to keep these gorgeous plants going girl ! It must give you a great deal of satisfaction when yo see them coming back to life : )
Posted by: Joy | April 21, 2009 at 01:23 PM
They are going to be beautiful! They were last year, too. Now what shall you purchase with your savings! gail
Posted by: Gail | April 21, 2009 at 01:45 PM
That is wonderful that all those tender perennials & tropicals survived the winter in your basement. Thanks to your TLC of course. You are too clever!
Posted by: Racquel | April 21, 2009 at 01:56 PM
You must have a very good spot to over winter them. I used to keep a few plants and even some roses in pots on my sun porch. Then the rescue cats took over the porch and promptly destroyed the plants. Even digging them up.
Perhaps next year I'll find the coolest spot in the basement and try again.
Marnie
Posted by: Marnie | April 21, 2009 at 02:00 PM
You have beautiful containers and did great holding them! I too overwintered the Cape Fuschia. It has been a problem but there is a bit of new growth:)
Posted by: tina | April 21, 2009 at 02:18 PM
What a beautiful container! I just love the color combinations and how tropical it looks.
Posted by: Catherine/gardenerprogress | April 21, 2009 at 05:23 PM
Kathleen, I think all ten of your fingers must be very green in order to have accomplished the overwintering of all those wonderful plants! I'm going to look for your e-mail address so I can write you with my snail mail address. Oh! I am so excited! ;-)
Posted by: Shady Gardener | April 21, 2009 at 07:45 PM
K, here I am again. If you go to my site, I have a "profile" that lists my e-mail address. Want to send me a note, first? Thanks!
Posted by: Shady Gardener | April 21, 2009 at 07:46 PM
You are having much better luck with overwintering than I am. The only thing alive so far is a boring orangey-red geranium. But then again, I don't even know if the items I tried to make go dormant would even work! We shall see.
Posted by: Robin Leja | April 21, 2009 at 08:41 PM
Nice! Makes me wish we had a basement.
Posted by: Victoria | April 22, 2009 at 09:32 AM