Question:
I have a beautiful, variegated Coleus plant in a pot on the patio. How would I go about winterizing it from the upcoming cold temperatures? I've had no luck moving it indoors for the winter months. Would it survive outside under a shade cloth patio roof? How about leaving it out during the day and then bring it inside at night? Also, should I dig up my Tuberous Begonias and store them for the winter? They're currently in pots.Answer:
- It's not too early to start thinking about winterizing plants. Daylight Saving Time ends has ended so the days will continue to get shorter and the nights much cooler.
- For cold-sensitive plants such as Bougainvilleas, Citrus, Hibiscus, and others an application of Bonide Wilt Stop, ChapStick for plants, should be applied in the next several weeks.
- Coleus is usually excluded from the list as many gardeners think of them as seasonal color, but they also can be sprayed. It is odd that you have had problems moving them indoors for the winter, as suggested in many books.
- I don't think the shade cloth covering will provide sufficient enough protection from the cold. So, maybe the answer is to leave it outside unless the nighttime temperatures drop below forty degrees and then bring it inside.
- I'd also move it close to the house to benefit from escaping heating. This should reduce the inside time frame and increase the success in over-wintering. There is no problem moving it in and out every day until spring, but it is a lot of work.
- Tuberous Begonias in pots are easy to deal with. First off, they are not an evergreen plant, so they do die back and go dormant so that you can over-winter them in the existing pots. With this in mind, there isn't much to be concerned about with the winter temperatures.
- I'd stop watering them and let the foliage turn brown. Next, I'd place the pots in the garage or under the house's eves until next spring when I'd start to water and feed them again. I'd be more concerned about those Tuberous Begonias growing in the ground.
- They could rot from the wet winter conditions. Hence, I'd dig them up and store them in an open box or paper bags for next year.
Question:
My year-old dwarf Fescue lawn is steadily declining. It receives one to two hours of sun per day. I've been watering and fertilizing it regularly. What else do I need to do to improve its look?Answer:
- Fescue, dwarf or tall, doesn't grow successfully in shady conditions. One to two hours of direct sun is not enough light for it to thrive. You'll need to overseed this area with Creeping Red Fescue, as it's better suited for low light situations.
- Creeping Red Fescue is available by seed at your favorite garden center. It's too late to sow seed now for germination, so you'll have to wait for spring to do so.