When to bring pond plants inside?

[addy1]

I babied tropical lilies, they survived the winter died in the pond, so done with them. It is pretty late in the summer before they get going. Put out elephant ears, we had a unusal late hard freeze they all died so done with them.

Trying to keep ponding very low stress and work.
Hyacinths, water lettuce, duck weed all did lousy in my pond, think there is not enough nutrients for them to grow well, so done with them.

 

[CountryEscape]

Yeah, Addy, I agree with you. But, the pretty light blue lily I got from Larkin is definitely coming inside. He's not sure about the yellow lily he sent, of which there are 2. He doesn't remember having a yellow lily with green leaves with red blotches, so thinking it's tropical. So, one will come inside to preserve, the other left in the pond to hopefully survive. Only other things I will bring in from the ponds are the HUGE elephant ear I got from TMann, red/green blotchy leaf elephant ear from nursery, and Black Taros, one of which is from TMann. then I have my large pots on the deck which I pull inside and put in the spare bedroom east window for the winter. One has cannas and elephant ear. One has just elephant ear (may let them die, and just bring in the bulbs ...) and the other has the spindle palm. It's hard to bring those huge pots inside, should have potted them in smaller pots, placed them IN the large pots, but wasn't that smart. LOL

 

[addy1]

lol ce I dried the elephant ears, carefully packed them in nice soft fiber stuff, took them out in the spring, they started growing. We had a morning freeze of 21 degrees, totally unexpected. Poof they all died. I loved them but, will need to buy some more if I want them. A lot of work grooming pulling in replanting on and on. I had around 15 of them.

 

[CountryEscape]

I think elephant ears must really multiply fast. I only had luck with 2 that I got from TMann, though, and he sent me some really nice ones! Tried them in the stream, bogs, in pots, not in pots, in the ground ... only got lucky with one large one in the bog, and the Black taro may have come from Larkin, actually. Anyhow, I'll try to keep them going another year, as dry bulbs. Maybe the trick is waiting until the frost zaps their leaves, then dig them up. I think that's what was said about them anyhow ...

 

[addy1]

Yep let them die back, dig up, dry, store, replant. Worked for me for two seasons, then lost them all. The ones that did the best where in pots with kitty litter in the pond, crown about 2 inches under water.

 

[CountryEscape]

The only really nice one I've grown from bulb is the huge one just stuck into the bog next to my goldfish pond, and it's HUGE ... at least for my standards. :cheerful: I also bought a variegated one that is light green and red leaves, in a pot from nursery, just plopped it into the stream. Growing really well, I'm sure there were already several tubers in there, so will see when it dies back. The black taro I got from I think Larkin as a small plant, kept it inside alive all winter. Didn't grow much at all, but now has taken off. There is also a tiny one, thinking that's the one I've had for 3 seasons now, just won't grow. LOL Or, maybe the tiny one finally took off and is now the big one, and the tiny one will do so in another year or two. We shall see ...

 

[addy1]

My pond ones where huge, black, black and green variegated, around 4 feet tall, great tubers. Then poof gone............oh well

 

[Mmathis]

One consolation in the south is that we do have a longer growing season, which means a little more time to enjoy what we have....

 

[Tula]

Mine are huge. The few I have in the ground, I just leave there and figure what happens, happens....but so far they keep coming back. The ones I have in whiskey barrels and pots, I keep till the leaves really start dying off, then I cut them, dry and store them. I don't put them in the ground until after Memorial Day....but they really take off after that! I may have extra this year, so if anyone would like some, please let me know Kim

 

[mrsclem]

I just brought my 2 elephant ears and my thalia plants in. Got a patio pond kit on sale at Lowes, 10" water and grow lights. I cut back the larger leaves so I could carry them in! These grew in my window box bog and just about cracked the boxes. Took a lot of cutting with a steak knife to get them to a manageable size.
Should I cut all the leaves back or leave the smaller ones? Temps in the basement range from 55-110.

 

[CountryEscape]

What exactly are you bringing in and wanting to grow, Mrs. Clem? I think elephant ears are best let to die off with the cold, then bring them in and dry off the bulbs before they freeze. I'm not positive, as I've failed before, but going to try it this way this year.
If you plant to keep them alive in a bucket in basement under a light, then I would cut off the larger leaves like you said you did, and let the smaller ones grow. Warning, though, any plants that you bring in and keep alive pretty much do that ... stay alive. Most don't hardly grow all winter long, light or no light, or at least that's what happened with the ones I had. Maybe light was not close enough for them. Anyhow, only plants I'm bringing in are tropical lilies (2) and elephant ears, after they die back, then will let the bulbs dry and store them in sawdust or something similar.

 

[mrsclem]

Well I'm going to try this this year. I have tried just putting them in a bucket and that did not work. Hoping with the pond kit it will work better. Temps will be high once we fire up the woodstove. Going to try to get a small pump running to keep the water from get stagnant. Wanted to bring some small fry in but there is no room! Will post pics later.

 

[pecan]

If this is the Japanese Iris you are referring to: https://www.google.com/search?q=jap...fd2AXa5oDwDA&ved=0CAcQ_AUoAQ&biw=1280&bih=624

I have several that I just cut down this last weekend. They stay in the pond all winter with the top of the pots about an inch under water and have lived through two winters so far. I am also a zone 7a, but my cold stretch is a lot longer than your zone 7a in GA. Average first frost is the middle of Sept and average last frost is around the middle of May.

I also don't try and over winter plants that aren't hardy to my climate anymore. Too much work. Elephant Ears and Canna Lilies I don't mind planting each year. I have had one Canna on a south facing wall come back. They all get left out and if they come back it is a welcome surprise.

 

[randythawkins]

If this is the Japanese Iris you are referring to: https://www.google.com/search?q=jap...fd2AXa5oDwDA&ved=0CAcQ_AUoAQ&biw=1280&bih=624

I have several that I just cut down this last weekend. They stay in the pond all winter with the top of the pots about an inch under water and have lived through two winters so far. I am also a zone 7a, but my cold stretch is a lot longer than your zone 7a in GA. Average first frost is the middle of Sept and average last frost is around the middle of May.

Yea, that is is. I think I will try keeping it out and see what happens. thanks.

 

[pecan]

Once it warms in the spring I lift the pot a little so the rim is just above the water line.