| I can't vouch for everything you mention, but I do believe the columbine and the lavender can be planted directly in your garden. They should be hardy to your zone. Some perennials won't flower the first year, but by the second, they put on a nice show. If you want to keep them in pots, you can store them in an unheated garage for the duration of their dormancy... or, you could sink the pots in your garden, and mulch them well. I'm in zone 5, and I grow lavenders, columbines, and many other types of perennials from seed every year. I start them in flats in late winter, indoors under lights, and after the danger of frost is past, I bring the plants outside and harden them off. I re-pot into 4" pots, or I just plant the seedlings directly in my gardens. Some will bloom the first year, and some take their time, establishing roots and settling in. Anything I have left in pots at the end of the growing season will be stored in an unheated garage. They don't need the light because they'll be dormant. In early spring, I'll begin opening the garage door during the day, and as the frosts wane, I'll bring the pots back outside into the sun. I would check on the zone ratings for the plants you mention... that will help you decide what to do with them for the winter. |
