One original corm has become several large patches of Crocosmia that
are all lying on one another, owing, I suppose, to not having been
actually *planted*. Those that bloomed are finishing up now, and I'd
like to sort them out. So... can I collect 'em before the leaves die
out? Should I re-plant immediately, or put them in the garage for the
winter and plant in spring? How deep to plant? Should I leave the
leaves(!) attached as much as possible, or just collect the corms? Oh
--zone 7b-ish.

On Fri, 16 Jul 2004 17:49:44 GMT, Frogleg opined:

One original corm has become several large patches of Crocosmia that
are all lying on one another, owing, I suppose, to not having been
actually *planted*. Those that bloomed are finishing up now, and I'd
like to sort them out. So... can I collect 'em before the leaves die
out? Should I re-plant immediately, or put them in the garage for the
winter and plant in spring? How deep to plant? Should I leave the
leaves(!) attached as much as possible, or just collect the corms? Oh
--zone 7b-ish.

You'd have to do a search on cold hardiness, but in my USDA Zone 8b, they are
reliably perennial. I had one small bunch someone gave to me, now I have three
rather nice sized stands.


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http://www.animaux.net/stern/present.html

"Frogleg" wrote in message
news
One original corm has become several large patches of Crocosmia that
are all lying on one another, owing, I suppose, to not having been
actually *planted*. Those that bloomed are finishing up now, and I'd
like to sort them out. So... can I collect 'em before the leaves die
out? Should I re-plant immediately, or put them in the garage for the
winter and plant in spring? How deep to plant? Should I leave the
leaves(!) attached as much as possible, or just collect the corms? Oh
--zone 7b-ish.

You can dig them up now that they've finished blooming, sort them out and
plant them about four inches deep. If you don't like them flopping about,
you could put a peony ring around them or a grid ring to support the leaves.
If you don't want to bother with that, dig them up, let the leaves die
naturally somewhere safe, then sort out the corms and plant them 4 inches in
a sunny, well drained location.

They're perennial in zone 7 here in Eastern Tennessee. I have the
Montbretia, the orangey-yellow one, and Lucifer, the red one. When you see
the new shoots next spring, invest in that grid ring for the stands of them
to guide the leaves upright and they'll support the flowers better. Lucifer
grows taller it seems than my Montbretia.

I understand that Lucifer is sometimes hardy in zone 6b.......... plant
them like crocus.
madgardener up on the ridge, back in Fairy Holler overlooking English
Mountain in Eastern Tennessee, zone 7, Sunset zone 36
------------------------------------------------------
Humankind has not woven the web of life.
We are but one thread within it.
Whatever we do to the web, we do to ourselves.
All things are bound together.
All things connect." Chief Seattle

On Fri, 16 Jul 2004 22:48:53 -0400, "madgardener"
wrote:

"Frogleg" wrote

So... can I collect 'em before the leaves die
out? Should I re-plant immediately, or put them in the garage for the
winter and plant in spring? How deep to plant? Should I leave the
leaves(!) attached as much as possible, or just collect the corms? Oh
--zone 7b-ish.

You can dig them up now that they've finished blooming, sort them out and
plant them about four inches deep. If you don't like them flopping about,
you could put a peony ring around them or a grid ring to support the leaves.
If you don't want to bother with that, dig them up, let the leaves die
naturally somewhere safe, then sort out the corms and plant them 4 inches in
a sunny, well drained location.

Thanks, Mad. Interesting that you say they're naturally floppy. I was
hoping if planted properly, they might learn to stand up straight. :-)
I have neither the $$ nor the patience to give each one a little
brace. I think I'll try shouting "'ten-SHUN!" instead.

They're (obviously) happily perennial here, too. I did want to give
some to a neighbor and include planting instructions. I believe mine
are 'Lucifer,' too. Very dramatic against some yellow daylilies a week
or 2 ago.

Frogleg expounded:

I have neither the $$ nor the patience to give each one a little
brace. I think I'll try shouting "'ten-SHUN!" instead.

Those green bamboo sticks don't cost much, and if you remember to
bring them in each year, they'll last two or more years. That's what I
spent last night doing, putting stakes along my hollyhocks, larkspur,
nicotianas, etc. It's been wet here again (we keep going wet then
dry, no evenness) and the hollyhocks are well on their way to seven
feet, so now they're falling over under their own weight.

A neighbor of mine has crocosmias, they're reliable for her, but her
garden is more sheltered than mine. I tried them, but they only made
it through one mild winter we had, the next one killed them (

--
Ann, Gardening in zone 6a
Just south of Boston, MA
********************************

"Vox Humana" wrote in message
...

"madgardener" wrote in message
...

.

They're perennial in zone 7 here in Eastern Tennessee. I have the
Montbretia, the orangey-yellow one, and Lucifer, the red one.

It seems from my reading that "montbretia" is the common name for all
crocosmia.

Actually, at one point in time, Montbretia was the name of the genus, but it
is now generally applied specifically to the species Crocosmia masoniorum,
which has smaller flowers than most of the newer hybrids and is an
orangey-yellow in color.

There are many hybrid forms available with colors ranging from dark red
through oranges, apricots to bright canary yellow and some with contrasting
throat colors - even bicolors. A range of sizes (both plant height and
flower size) and foliage colors as well.

Crocosmias should be planted deep to avoid leaning or drooping, specially as
the newer corms emerge from the top of the old, effectively 'lifting' the
plant over time. Very fertile, loose soil that remains evenly moist is also
suggested for maximum performance - these are not exactly xeriscape plants.

FYI, the August 2004 issue of "Horticulture" has an excellent article on
Crocosmias written by Dan Hinkley of Heronswood Nursery.

pam - gardengal

On Mon, 19 Jul 2004 14:46:39 GMT, "Pam - gardengal"
wrote:

Crocosmias should be planted deep to avoid leaning or drooping, specially as
the newer corms emerge from the top of the old, effectively 'lifting' the
plant over time. Very fertile, loose soil that remains evenly moist is also
suggested for maximum performance - these are not exactly xeriscape plants.

Ah HAH! So I *can* improve the uprightness of these pretty plants by
re-grounding them. Actually, I only recall planting 1 or 2 single
corms several years ago. How they spread into big, floppy patches is a
mystery. I'm *definitely* going to take a bunch up and replant (and
give away).

"madgardener" wrote in message
...

..

They're perennial in zone 7 here in Eastern Tennessee. I have the
Montbretia, the orangey-yellow one, and Lucifer, the red one.

It seems from my reading that "montbretia" is the common name for all
crocosmia.