Cosmos atrosanguineus
 

Last year I left them in the border and they died. I replaced them this year
but planted them in a south facing bed - they are still flowering like crazy
but should I lift them and if so how to keep over winter, or would it be
enough to mulch the crown and leave them in the bed. Was it the wet, cold or
both that did for last year's?

Franz Heymann muttered:


"Magwitch" wrote in message
...
Last year I left them in the border and they died. I replaced them
this year
but planted them in a south facing bed - they are still flowering
like crazy
but should I lift them and if so how to keep over winter, or would
it be
enough to mulch the crown and leave them in the bed. Was it the wet,
cold or
both that did for last year's?

I think it would be best to lift the tubers now and overwinter them
indoors, as they are not really hardy plants.

Franz


Thanks... will do that thing.

"Magwitch" wrote in message
...
Last year I left them in the border and they died. I replaced them
this year
but planted them in a south facing bed - they are still flowering
like crazy
but should I lift them and if so how to keep over winter, or would
it be
enough to mulch the crown and leave them in the bed. Was it the wet,
cold or
both that did for last year's?

I think it would be best to lift the tubers now and overwinter them
indoors, as they are not really hardy plants.

Franz

On 28/10/04 5:48, in article ,
"Magwitch" wrote:

Franz Heymann muttered:


"Magwitch" wrote in message
...
Last year I left them in the border and they died. I replaced them
this year
but planted them in a south facing bed - they are still flowering
like crazy
but should I lift them and if so how to keep over winter, or would
it be
enough to mulch the crown and leave them in the bed. Was it the wet,
cold or
both that did for last year's?

I think it would be best to lift the tubers now and overwinter them
indoors, as they are not really hardy plants.

Franz


Thanks... will do that thing.

Franz is correct. I asked Ray about this and he said overwinter them
somewhere frost free. As they're still flowering, perhaps you could move
them into a pot of compost and bring them in?
We have never managed to keep them in the ground through the winter here.
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
(remove the weeds to email me)

The message
from Sacha contains these words:

On 28/10/04 5:48, in article ,
"Magwitch" wrote:

Franz Heymann muttered:


"Magwitch" wrote in message
should I lift them and if so how to keep over winter, or would
it be
enough to mulch the crown and leave them in the bed. Was it the wet,
cold or
both that did for last year's?

I think it would be best to lift the tubers now and overwinter them
indoors, as they are not really hardy plants.

Franz

Franz is correct. I asked Ray about this and he said overwinter them
somewhere frost free. As they're still flowering, perhaps you could move
them into a pot of compost and bring them in?
We have never managed to keep them in the ground through the winter here.
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
(remove the weeds to email me)

They must be very borderline. My mother has kept a plant in her borders
for about five years now (Staffs). She has very free-draining soil.
On the other hand, I've lost them, through rotting, when I've kept them
in the greenhouse.
Janet G

"Magwitch" wrote in message
...
Last year I left them in the border and they died. I replaced them this
year
but planted them in a south facing bed - they are still flowering like
crazy
but should I lift them and if so how to keep over winter, or would it be
enough to mulch the crown and leave them in the bed. Was it the wet, cold
or
both that did for last year's?

From what I've read on the web, I reckon I'm going to give mine a good
covering of compost and leave them in the ground (I'm in Oxon). Also
vaguely wondering if I could cover the compost with polythene so they don't
get too waterlogged.

As they've pretty much given up flowering now, can anyone tell me whether I
should chop all the foliage back? Or just let it die back naturally?

cheers,
G.A.

On 29/10/04 8:14, in article , "Glen
Able" wrote:

snip

From what I've read on the web, I reckon I'm going to give mine a good
covering of compost and leave them in the ground (I'm in Oxon). Also
vaguely wondering if I could cover the compost with polythene so they don't
get too waterlogged.

As they've pretty much given up flowering now, can anyone tell me whether I
should chop all the foliage back? Or just let it die back naturally?

I'd let it die back naturally but I think there's a very good chance you'll
lose them if you leave them in the ground. ;-(
I don't think polythene will help, the rainwater will still leach into the
ground from round the sides.
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
(remove the weeds to email me)

"Sacha" wrote in message
k...
On 29/10/04 8:14, in article , "Glen
Able" wrote:

snip

From what I've read on the web, I reckon I'm going to give mine a good
covering of compost and leave them in the ground (I'm in Oxon). Also
vaguely wondering if I could cover the compost with polythene so they
don't
get too waterlogged.

As they've pretty much given up flowering now, can anyone tell me
whether I
should chop all the foliage back? Or just let it die back naturally?

I'd let it die back naturally but I think there's a very good chance
you'll
lose them if you leave them in the ground. ;-(
I don't think polythene will help, the rainwater will still leach into the
ground from round the sides.
--
Sacha

Yeah, I wasn't thinking about keeping them bone dry, but just stopping them
from being waterlogged for long periods. I've heard it suggested that
they'll survive below -5C with a good mulch, but they'll quickly rot if
they're left soaking.

Also, digging them up could possibly result in me getting all dirty and
tired :)

On 29/10/04 1:46, in article , "Janet
Galpin" wrote:

snip
They must be very borderline. My mother has kept a plant in her borders
for about five years now (Staffs). She has very free-draining soil.
On the other hand, I've lost them, through rotting, when I've kept them
in the greenhouse.
Janet G

FWIW, the RHS says it can be over-wintered in the garden, if given a deep
mulch, so I think it's a question of the individual being prepared to take
the risk, or not. We get frost here down to -7 at the extreme but we do get
a LOT of rain! OTOH, I lost this plant in my previous garden which that
particular winter was no wetter than normal but did get a fair bit of frost.
I think the OP was correct with her guess that it's a combination of cold
AND wet that got to them. We've lost Corydalis in one part of this garden
because of wetness. Right now we almost need a rowing boat to go round the
garden. ;-(
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
(remove the weeds to email me)

"Janet Galpin" wrote in message
...
The message
from Sacha contains these words:

On 28/10/04 5:48, in article ,
"Magwitch" wrote:

Franz Heymann muttered:


"Magwitch" wrote in message
should I lift them and if so how to keep over winter, or would
it be
enough to mulch the crown and leave them in the bed. Was it
the wet,
cold or
both that did for last year's?

I think it would be best to lift the tubers now and overwinter
them
indoors, as they are not really hardy plants.

Franz

Franz is correct. I asked Ray about this and he said overwinter
them
somewhere frost free. As they're still flowering, perhaps you
could move
them into a pot of compost and bring them in?
We have never managed to keep them in the ground through the
winter here.
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
(remove the weeds to email me)

They must be very borderline. My mother has kept a plant in her
borders
for about five years now (Staffs). She has very free-draining soil.
On the other hand, I've lost them, through rotting, when I've kept
them
in the greenhouse.
Janet G

We've had one outside in our border in London for the past 2 winters
but again, our soil is VERY free-draining.
Sheila

On 29/10/04 8:38, in article , "Glen
Able" wrote:

"Sacha" wrote in message
k...
snip I'd let it die back naturally but I think there's a very good
chance
you'll
lose them if you leave them in the ground. ;-(
I don't think polythene will help, the rainwater will still leach into the
ground from round the sides.
--
Sacha

Yeah, I wasn't thinking about keeping them bone dry, but just stopping them
from being waterlogged for long periods. I've heard it suggested that
they'll survive below -5C with a good mulch, but they'll quickly rot if
they're left soaking.

Also, digging them up could possibly result in me getting all dirty and
tired :)


Yes but you won't rot - probably. ;-)
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
(remove the weeds to email me)

On 29/10/04 10:33, in article , "Paul
Richards" wrote:

snip

We've had one outside in our border in London for the past 2 winters
but again, our soil is VERY free-draining.
Sheila

And depending on which part of London you're in, you may get little to no
frost.
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
(remove the weeds to email me)

On Thu, 28 Oct 2004 12:57:15 +0000 (UTC), "Franz Heymann"
wrote:

I think it would be best to lift the tubers now and overwinter them
indoors, as they are not really hardy plants.

"Indoors" meaning, I hope, cold but frost-free. You want them to stay
dormant until spring. Very much like dahlia tubers.

Bring them into ordinary room temperature and you'll have a hell of a
time getting them through the winter.


--
Rodger Whitlock
Victoria, BC, Canada
to send email, change atlantic to pacific
and invalid to net

"Rodger Whitlock" wrote in message
...
On Thu, 28 Oct 2004 12:57:15 +0000 (UTC), "Franz Heymann"
wrote:

I think it would be best to lift the tubers now and overwinter
them
indoors, as they are not really hardy plants.

"Indoors" meaning, I hope, cold but frost-free. You want them to
stay
dormant until spring. Very much like dahlia tubers.

Bring them into ordinary room temperature and you'll have a hell of
a
time getting them through the winter.

Yes. your amplification is entirely correct.

Franz