When to bring pond plants inside?

[randythawkins]

For those of you in the Atlanta, GA area...about what time of year do you start bringing the pond plants indoor for winter hibernation? Seems about mid-November would be an approximate time but that is based only my gut feelings as this is my first Fall with them.

Thanks.

 

[JohnHuff]

Not in GA, but nice pond build on your blog!

 

[anitapond]

I'm not in the GA area either, however, the rule of thumb I always follow is when the night temps get around 45 degrees F. That's when I bring them in, which is about now for Northern Ohio where I live. I follow the opposite in the spring - when the night temps stay above 45, I'll take them out to the pond.

 

[Tula]

I'm curious what kind of pond plants? I'm always sad to see them die off and would love a way to save them for next spring. I store my canna lilies and elephant ears, in my crawl space, but everything else I end up tossing Kim

 

[randythawkins]

Not in GA, but nice pond build on your blog!

Thanks!

 

[randythawkins]

I'm not in the GA area either, however, the rule of thumb I always follow is when the night temps get around 45 degrees F. That's when I bring them in, which is about now for Northern Ohio where I live. I follow the opposite in the spring - when the night temps stay above 45, I'll take them out to the pond.

45 degrees....I can work with that - thanks!

 

[randythawkins]

I'm curious what kind of pond plants? I'm always sad to see them die off and would love a way to save them for next spring. I store my canna lilies and elephant ears, in my crawl space, but everything else I end up tossing Kim

I have a couple of hyacinth, Japanese Variegated Iris, and a Rain Lily. Only those three so it is not many if they don't make it but, if possible, I would like to keep them alive.

 

[CountryEscape]

I've tried to butt the system and keep water hyacinths. I succeeded in the garage under a florescent light for a while, but when brought them into the basement, they all died. Not sure you will keep those alive. Not sure about the Japanese Iris and Rain Lily. Are they tropical, I assume? Most pond plants are hardy, so assume these are tropical. I got a few pond plants from another ponder in LA last year late, so kept them all inside in basement in large container with water. They pretty much don't grow, just exist. If that's what you are going to attempt, you can bring them in anytime you are ready, if they are slowing down outside, like mine have been for the last couple of weeks. Good luck!
I think the Japanese Variegated Iris is hardy to zone 5, so you should be fine to leave that one in the pond. Rain lily looks like zone 7-11, so not sure what zone you are, that one may have to come inside. Says they do well as houseplants. :blueflower:

 

[randythawkins]

I've tried to butt the system and keep water hyacinths. I succeeded in the garage under a florescent light for a while, but when brought them into the basement, they all died. Not sure you will keep those alive. Not sure about the Japanese Iris and Rain Lily. Are they tropical, I assume? Most pond plants are hardy, so assume these are tropical. I got a few pond plants from another ponder in LA last year late, so kept them all inside in basement in large container with water. They pretty much don't grow, just exist. If that's what you are going to attempt, you can bring them in anytime you are ready, if they are slowing down outside, like mine have been for the last couple of weeks. Good luck!
I think the Japanese Variegated Iris is hardy to zone 5, so you should be fine to leave that one in the pond. Rain lily looks like zone 7-11, so not sure what zone you are, that one may have to come inside. Says they do well as houseplants. :blueflower:

Last winter I brought some hyacinth in but they died off. I assumed it was due to lack of light. I am not too concerned about them because they are quite cheap, $3 a piece at Pike's, and grow/expand quite rapidly - replacing them each Spring would not be a financial hit. The others were a few dollars more and are potted plants. I would certainly like to keep them if possible. I assume they are tropical...will need to look at the tags again. I am in zone 7a so I may be able to keep both outside.

Thanks for the help and direction.

 

[addy1]

I leave everything outside if it lives it is welcome, if it dies not replaced. I brought things in for the winter too much of a pain did it for a few years finally quit. The plants need to survive our winter otherwise not worth it.

 

[Troutredds]

This is a great topic and very related to my posted question in the "Aquatic Plant" section. Can anyone please view it and offer some experience-based advice? This is our first winter with a pond and I'm attempting to overwinter some water hyacinths. Below are some picks of our trout/koi pond.

 

[Troutredds]

...and the twenty hyacinths now in our heated garage!

 

[CountryEscape]

Well, good luck to you, troutredds! I, too, tried to keep them, but to no avail. I even thought when they died back, maybe they would come back from the great root system, but again, no luck. If you have success, please share it with us! Since you have quite a few, try different ways. Some say using an air bubbler and moving water on them helps them through the winter. All I know is mine did great in my insulated (not heated) garage, until I thought it was getting too cool, and moved them to the basement, which stays around 55 during the winter. They all died within a week. Same florescent light in both places, so really not sure what the change was.

 

[Troutredds]

Thanks for the moral support CountryEscape, regardless of how it turns out. I'm hopeful that with enough natural light, water changes and minimal supplemental fertilizer, I'll be able to report some level of success. It will be fun to experiment with, anyway.

 

[Mmathis]

I leave everything outside if it lives it is welcome, if it dies not replaced. I brought things in for the winter too much of a pain did it for a few years finally quit. The plants need to survive our winter otherwise not worth it.

I pretty much follow Addy's philosophy. But if you are going to try, you could use the "frost" dates as a guideline. You know, first frost - last frost.