Too early to put out annuals?

[Anonymous]

I overwintered a bunch of things — geraniums, ferns (not Boston, but something similar), lantana. I’m ready to get them out of my basement, but maybe it’s too soon?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I overwintered a bunch of things — geraniums, ferns (not Boston, but something similar), lantana. I’m ready to get them out of my basement, but maybe it’s too soon?

Yes too early, after mothers day is the standard. We are all tempted to put plants out this time of year but frosts are possible for a few weeks forthcoming

[Anonymous]

I agree with waiting a few more weeks, as tempting as it is!

[Anonymous]

I planted tulips. Are those annuals?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I planted tulips. Are those annuals?

You plant tulip bulbs in the fall, some grow back every year some don't. By annuals she means plants that grown from seeds either at home in nursery.

[Anonymous]

Cold hardy ones are okay. Snapdragons, pansies, alyssum, poppies, dianthus, etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I overwintered a bunch of things — geraniums, ferns (not Boston, but something similar), lantana. I’m ready to get them out of my basement, but maybe it’s too soon?

Just wondering how you prepared and stored them for overwintering?

[Anonymous]

I popped some ranunculus corms and dahlia tubers into pots a week or so ago. We'll see!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I planted tulips. Are those annuals?

You plant tulip bulbs in the fall, some grow back every year some don't. By annuals she means plants that grown from seeds either at home in nursery.

They were already about a foot tall. a week after I planted them, they all grew flowers. Blooms are all going away now.

[Anonymous]

My perennial ferns are already coming up, so I think they'll be fine.

[Anonymous]

I planted annuals already — they look gorgeous! I really don’t think there’ll be a frost in the next few weeks.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I overwintered a bunch of things — geraniums, ferns (not Boston, but something similar), lantana. I’m ready to get them out of my basement, but maybe it’s too soon?

Just wondering how you prepared and stored them for overwintering?

The ferns and lantana I just brought inside — they were in fairly large pots and I hauled them into my basement, which has two big south-facing windows. The ferns I take outside and give a “bath” twice a week all winter; the lantana I water once a week, pretty sparingly. All have done great — this is the second winter for the ferns. They start to look a little peaked in February but I trim them a bit and they are back to looking lush now. The lantana has actually bloomed twice while inside. It has lost a good number of leaves, but again, still looks green and pretty healthy.

The geraniums I dug out of the big outdoor containers, trimmed to just a few core stems and planted in smaller pots and put in front of the windows. They have also done well — many have bloomed while inside. I water pretty sparingly. I think I also took some cuttings and tried to root those but I have less luck with that. This is the second winter that I brought the geraniums inside, so it will be the third summer for many of those original plants.

I also took cuttings of sweet potato vine and creeping Jenny and put those in water, then planted once they had roots, and they have grown fine in the basement. I took more cuttings last weekend from my indoor plants so I have plenty to add to my various pots.

Can’t wait to put everything outside again.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I planted annuals already — they look gorgeous! I really don’t think there’ll be a frost in the next few weeks.

Same here!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I overwintered a bunch of things — geraniums, ferns (not Boston, but something similar), lantana. I’m ready to get them out of my basement, but maybe it’s too soon?

Just wondering how you prepared and stored them for overwintering?

The ferns and lantana I just brought inside — they were in fairly large pots and I hauled them into my basement, which has two big south-facing windows. The ferns I take outside and give a “bath” twice a week all winter; the lantana I water once a week, pretty sparingly. All have done great — this is the second winter for the ferns. They start to look a little peaked in February but I trim them a bit and they are back to looking lush now. The lantana has actually bloomed twice while inside. It has lost a good number of leaves, but again, still looks green and pretty healthy.

The geraniums I dug out of the big outdoor containers, trimmed to just a few core stems and planted in smaller pots and put in front of the windows. They have also done well — many have bloomed while inside. I water pretty sparingly. I think I also took some cuttings and tried to root those but I have less luck with that. This is the second winter that I brought the geraniums inside, so it will be the third summer for many of those original plants.

I also took cuttings of sweet potato vine and creeping Jenny and put those in water, then planted once they had roots, and they have grown fine in the basement. I took more cuttings last weekend from my indoor plants so I have plenty to add to my various pots.

Can’t wait to put everything outside again.

Curious - when you overwinter plants inside, do you have bugs that come on the plants inside (and then you end up with bugs inside?). This has always been my concern with bringing outside plants in.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I overwintered a bunch of things — geraniums, ferns (not Boston, but something similar), lantana. I’m ready to get them out of my basement, but maybe it’s too soon?

Just wondering how you prepared and stored them for overwintering?

The ferns and lantana I just brought inside — they were in fairly large pots and I hauled them into my basement, which has two big south-facing windows. The ferns I take outside and give a “bath” twice a week all winter; the lantana I water once a week, pretty sparingly. All have done great — this is the second winter for the ferns. They start to look a little peaked in February but I trim them a bit and they are back to looking lush now. The lantana has actually bloomed twice while inside. It has lost a good number of leaves, but again, still looks green and pretty healthy.

The geraniums I dug out of the big outdoor containers, trimmed to just a few core stems and planted in smaller pots and put in front of the windows. They have also done well — many have bloomed while inside. I water pretty sparingly. I think I also took some cuttings and tried to root those but I have less luck with that. This is the second winter that I brought the geraniums inside, so it will be the third summer for many of those original plants.

I also took cuttings of sweet potato vine and creeping Jenny and put those in water, then planted once they had roots, and they have grown fine in the basement. I took more cuttings last weekend from my indoor plants so I have plenty to add to my various pots.

Can’t wait to put everything outside again.

Curious - when you overwinter plants inside, do you have bugs that come on the plants inside (and then you end up with bugs inside?). This has always been my concern with bringing outside plants in.

No, but I do spray them with an insecticidal soap when I bring them in, and usually again a few days or week, later. I carry everything to the stairs that go down to the basement door and spray, then leave for a few hours before I bring them inside. Then a few days later I set them outside the door and spray again. Haven’t had trouble.