endeitz
09-22-2007, 09:02 PM
I have read about several techniques for protecting plants in the winter, from digging them up, to building "straw silos" around them with burlap over the top.
I am in 8b, and we get 15-20F a few nights during the winter. This has previously killed back my Dwarf Ornicos to the ground. The Bajoos lose some leaves but continue to grow in fits and starts through the winter. These are the only varieties I have tried (although I have some small D. Brazilian and Saba plants that I am growing in pots (these will be sunroomed over the winter, and in the ground next spring).
My understanding is that some of these varieties, i.e. D. Brazilian and D. Ornico have survived slightly warmer (several nights of ~20F) winters without protection (I think it was JoeReal who related this information). With this in mind, I feel like I might get by with some less "extreme" protection than the "straw silo" or the digging.
With this in mind, has anyone just tried frost blankets (spun polyester) with some Xmas lights for the colder nights? Is it important to keep the plants dry during the winter (I don't think these frost blankets are totally waterproof). It would be much easier for me to use these blankets and lights than the other measures, and I was wondering if anyone else had tried something similar.
Cheers,
Ed.
I am in 8b, and we get 15-20F a few nights during the winter. This has previously killed back my Dwarf Ornicos to the ground. The Bajoos lose some leaves but continue to grow in fits and starts through the winter. These are the only varieties I have tried (although I have some small D. Brazilian and Saba plants that I am growing in pots (these will be sunroomed over the winter, and in the ground next spring).
My understanding is that some of these varieties, i.e. D. Brazilian and D. Ornico have survived slightly warmer (several nights of ~20F) winters without protection (I think it was JoeReal who related this information). With this in mind, I feel like I might get by with some less "extreme" protection than the "straw silo" or the digging.
With this in mind, has anyone just tried frost blankets (spun polyester) with some Xmas lights for the colder nights? Is it important to keep the plants dry during the winter (I don't think these frost blankets are totally waterproof). It would be much easier for me to use these blankets and lights than the other measures, and I was wondering if anyone else had tried something similar.
Cheers,
Ed.