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| I have seen Dusty Miler survive the winter in some gardens around here. This year, I am not pulling out the plants to see if they will grow again in the spring. Anyone have success with this? In a similar sense, I stopped digging up Gladiola bulbs 20 years ago and they return faithfully. Maybe I should not be pulling out my annuals in the fall. Anyone else have this observation? |
Follow-Up Postings:
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| More power to you! That's great. I would never guess glads would keep coming up. I just try to keep as many perennials alive as I can. I'm on the edge of 4/5 in Nebraska. Heidi |
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| Yes, I'm in Kansas and mine survived last year's horribly cold winter while some of my perennials didn't. I put compost or manure around the base. Give a try, it might work for you. |
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| If you want them to survive, overturning a large pot and covering the plant will help trap heat from the soil, which should keep the roots near the stem a few degrees warmer than w/o the added protection. Be sure to leave the drain hole open to prevent mold/fungaluglies. Al |
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- Posted by ken_adrian MI z5 (My Page) on Mon, Dec 1, 14 at 10:46
| survival of any zone pusher.. is left to the vagaries of ma nature .... above mentioned.. last years harsh winter ... and many things .. zone appropriate for my z5 ... were damaged or lost.. when she threw a z4 winter at me ... its all about me ... lol ... but what she did do ... unlike the last few moderate winters... she packed us with 3 feet of snow ... and snow is her best insulator.. down under such .... most of my damage ... besides outright death.. was above snow cover ... and the darn rabbits doubled her insults ... what snow does... is removed winter sun .... which regardless of air temps.. can thaw frozen tissue... repeatedly over the winter ... and that usually is not good ... [winter sun is also killer.. when there is no snow cover.. and the soil goes in and out of freeze ... or heats and brings the roots out of dormancy] and snow also removes all winter wind ... which refreezes that tissue the sun melted ... so after all that... you are left with how tender the roots are.. on any given plant ... and whether.. regardless of all the above... will the roots survive ... one trick.. if you want to try to push zone.. is to plant immediately on the foundation... especially if you have a furnace in a basement.. and the side of the house with the chimney ... the soil will stay much more temperate ... all and all ... its all about micro climate ... in your garden ... no one can really tell you odds... but of course.. we have fun theorizing about it .... and do understand.. just because you win or fail ... there are no odds.. your luck [or lack thereof] ... will be repeated ... because you are rolling the dice.. on the wicked witch of the north .... on a yearly basis .... and good luck with that ... one thing for sure.. if you yanked them in fall ... you would never learn.. and they would die for sure.. so why not try ... ken
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- Posted by Emerogork2 5 (My Page) on Tue, Dec 2, 14 at 2:57
| "If you want them to survive, overturning a large pot and covering the plant " I have plenty of plastic pots to use as cover but anyone have any suggestions in how to keep them in place from the wind? A stone on top of, a metal spike through, burial of the edge for, each might do it. I will try them but wonder if anyone has other ideas that not expensive or tedious. |
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- Posted by Emerogork2 5 (My Page) on Tue, Dec 2, 14 at 2:58
| "If you want them to survive, overturning a large pot and covering the plant " I have plenty of plastic pots to use as cover but anyone have any suggestions in how to keep them in place from the wind? A stone on top of, a metal spike through, burial of the edge for, each might do it. I will try them but wonder if anyone has other ideas that not expensive or tedious. |
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- Posted by tsugajunkie z5 SE WI (My Page) on Tue, Dec 2, 14 at 6:35
| Don't use black nursery pots as they will cook the plant on sunny days. A rock not covering the drainage hole should work to hold the pots in place. tj |
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- Posted by Emerogork2 (My Page) on Tue, Dec 2, 14 at 8:41
| Forgot about the cooking factor. I would figure that clay pots would break in the frost. It is looking as if it is not worth while to help the plants last the winter. In my garden, the theme is Survival of the Fittest. Unless someone else had ideas, at this point, they are on their own. After all, it is just as easy to start a new batch indoors in January. If this year's plants are out there in the spring, I will welcome their can stay. |
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- Posted by grandmamaloy 7 (My Page) on Mon, Dec 29, 14 at 11:33
| It will also depend upon the variety of Dusty Miller you have. I live in Zone 7 and have had them survive some years and not other years. Insulating snow or leaves seem to help the most, though be sure to get rid of those leaves in the spring. If you have very frigid temps and wind, don't expect them to survive without some protection. Mulch can blow away in the wind, so that is not always the best solution either. The overturned clay pot will protect them when you don't have deep mulch, snow or leaves, but so much depends upon what the weather does on any given year. |
Here is a link that might be useful: Types of Dusty Miller
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