Zone 5 Wintering

[Jeanie master]

I put a kiddy pool and a cement mixing tub of plants in my basement with a grow light that comes on at night .A little miracle grow and they make it

Do you cut them back and leave them in their pots? Our problem is we live in an underground house. Our "storage" would be up in our garage. There's a small bathroom, was thinking about putting them in that room with a heat lamp when needed on and a light (I use fluorescent typically, full spectrum for other plants)
Do you have to change the water at all?

 

[sissy]

Don't change the water at all .I have kept pond plants in my basement for 10 years at least .Over winter them every year.I cut the cattails and the lilies back the water hyacinth I just pick the nicer ones.As you can see they got a little out of hand this year and I gave lots of them away.The last pic is under the hoop house over the pond .Need it to keep water cool .I mostly ignore and neglect them in the basement .

 

[Jeanie master]

What are your winters like? Are those bananas? Looks great, just will be a lot colder up in our garage! Ty for the pics and info.

 

[TK9NY]

So, the plan is to bring the plants inside (my water lettuce has exploded from 2 little things to about 10+, a couple quite large, and i would hate for those to all die) but leave the fish out with a pond breather and maybe a small heater depending on how cold it gets. I'll pull the pump and tube completely, and store it inside.

The pond is tucked in next to the deck right by the side of the house, so i think it's pretty protected from wind. I might also set up a tarp over top of it to protect it from snow/wind even further. We'll see.

Last winter wasn't bad at all. Cold, but not terrible, and we didn't get a crazy amount of snow. Maybe one or two bad storms. The winter before that (and the one before that) was much worse. I've been told this year will be crazy (but they said that about last year too, and "crazy" turned out to be the opposite of what i think they meant!) I guess at this stage it's about figuring out what works for me and my pond.

 

[ChrisP]

Hi, wondering since I'm in 5, and new to this, first winter..have you saved any taro, or tropical water lily tc? Ty

I don't want to mess around with tanks of water and grow lights in my basement. My neighbor has volunteered to take my mosaic plant and I gladly accepted that offer because for me, saving $6 (the initial cost of the plant) isn't worth the hassle.

I will transplant my black magic taro to a pot filled with potting soil and keep it as a normal house plant during the winter.

 

[addy1]

I saved Taro's once, planted in the spring past frost date, cool wet, they died. Saved tropical lilies, put them out they never grew back. No more saving anything any more.

 

[Jeanie master]

I don't want to mess around with tanks of water and grow lights in my basement. My neighbor has volunteered to take my mosaic plant and I gladly accepted that offer because for me, saving $6 (the initial cost of the plant) isn't worth the hassle.

I will transplant my black magic taro to a pot filled with potting soil and keep it as a normal house plant during the winter.

Wish I could...have cats who eat anything green!

 

[Mmathis]

Wish I could...have cats who eat anything green!

Same here! Nothing green comes inside. Hubby hasn't even been able to send me flowers for many years -- no matter where we put them, the cats find them!

 

[Jeanie master]

Same here! Nothing green comes inside. Hubby hasn't even been able to send me flowers for many years -- no matter where we put them, the cats find them!

Last plant I brought in was a tiny tiny little spider plant in a paper cup. Put it on my kitchen island, turned my head and...Gone! Never saw it again lol. But..did put up a shelf for flowers..hubby ain't gettin' off that easy

 

[sissy]

With my taro's I just put extra mulch around them and a old throw rug on top that I pull off in the spring .I want to build a greenhouse but that may be extra work I don't want .I have used my neighbors green house a couple of times to store plants .When I had my cats pussy galore and sylvester purrbody they were scared to death of plants because they knocked a big plant on a plant stand on top of themselves and after that would take the longest route around any plant I brought in the house .When I wanted to keep them upstairs when company was over I would put 2 plants and the top of the steps and they would not go near the steps .They were 17 and 19 years old when they died .Never thought they would ever live that long .

 

[Jeanie master]

With my taro's I just put extra mulch around them and a old throw rug on top that I pull off in the spring .I want to build a greenhouse but that may be extra work I don't want .I have used my neighbors green house a couple of times to store plants .When I had my cats pussy galore and sylvester purrbody they were scared to death of plants because they knocked a big plant on a plant stand on top of themselves and after that would take the longest route around any plant I brought in the house .When I wanted to keep them upstairs when company was over I would put 2 plants and the top of the steps and they would not go near the steps .They were 17 and 19 years old when they died .Never thought they would ever live that long .

What are your winters like? We get into the teens often and have snow, less last few years but I cant see taro surviving?

 

[ChrisP]

Wish I could...have cats who eat anything green!

It's OK - these are Black Magic Taro!

And Sissy, those cat names are purfect. Our new kittens are Sir Reginald Fluffingbottom and Lady Penelope Meowmeowton.

Yes, they have tea time at 3pm everyday.

 

[sissy]

We can get down to the teens at night and back up to 30's and even 50's during the day .I am zone 7 ,15 minutes from the NC border .This winter they are predicting a bad winter .

 

[EricV]

I use a pond breather, cheap on electricity. We are warmer than you but Mitch up in Canada uses the same thing his fish do fine over the winter.
View attachment 93431

you can find them for around 49-59 try dr foster and smith.

Drs. Foster & Smith has 20% off right now using the code AQUATICS and it works on the pond breather. $55 and free shipping. Ordered mine.

 

[callingcolleen1]

Drs. Foster & Smith has 20% off right now using the code AQUATICS and it works on the pond breather. $55 and free shipping. Ordered mine.

Mitch only has small minows.... I would not use breather for my big fish as I don't think its recommended for below minus 20 celsius. (We get below minus 40 here in Canada)
Should be ok for zone 5