Winter

[Morph]

Hi all,

Now the snow is coming for me in Sweden (:

Pics:

[maverick]

Wow! That's early...

I think your winter is very long there in Sweden, isn't it?

[billynomates666]

Hi Morph

Do you leave your plants out all winter unprotected? what sort of temperatures do you get down to?

I leave the majority of mine outdoors but they are in bogs rather than pots and I do give them some (not much) protection, but your winters are more harsh than ours. I am curious as to how low the temperatures get and what sort of death rate you get.

Cheers

Steve

[mattynatureboy44]

Hi Morph

Do you leave your plants out all winter unprotected? what sort of temperatures do you get down to?

I leave the majority of mine outdoors but they are in bogs rather than pots and I do give them some (not much) protection, but your winters are more harsh than ours. I am curious as to how low the temperatures get and what sort of death rate you get.

Cheers

Steve

Hi Steve,

You say you leave the majority of your plants outside all winter and give them some (not much) protection im interested as to which ones these are and what protection you provide as I am planning on leaving quite a few plants outside in my bog over winter that have never been left out there before just as a sort of experiment and due to the fact I now have spares of these plants.

[billynomates666]

Hi Matt

I have S. Purpurea of a lot of varieties and some of their hydrids, Darlingtonia, Saracenias of all kinds, including seedlings that I do bring in, VFTs (bog standard ones, pardon the pun) they need more protection and to be drier if possible, native drosera, D.filliformis, native pings, and D. Binata and Capensis which die back but so far have always come back from the roots.

The VFTs tend to be the worst,when they start growing again it takes them a while to get going and whilst looking alright, they obviously dont have the same vigour or size as greenhouse/cold frame ones. Sarracenia likewise are always behind the spring pictures of the greenhouse plants shown on the forum, but that to be expected and they catch up.

I should stress though they are all in bogs not pots and I cant say that i've never lost any, but last year as an example, it got pretty cold, I lost a couple of VFTs and peculiarly a couple of native drosera, well I think I did, the birds could have taken them with the sphagnum they collected.

Cheers

Steve

Edit - Sorry Matt didnt tell you about the protection, I use fern fronds (only because some grow in my garden) only a couply of payers deep over the more prized or less hardy plants, they let light and air in to stop the mould, but also stop the desiccating winds which is the main problem. pine needles if I can get them and this year i will try 'blobs' of pine bark. If you can, make a bit of a wind break to the North and East at least to keep the very dry cold air out.

Edited October 22, 2010 by billynomates666

[Morph]

Wow! That's early...

I think your winter is very long there in Sweden, isn't it?

I am so sorry for my very late reply.. Yes in Sweden the winter are pretty long something like 4 to often 5 full months.

I will protect the plants more than on that picture its just that it wasnt so cold that day and seem a nice way to start them to get some slumber