ellen Summer went by fast. All the sudden, I realized it was getting cooler. We even have a little color in the leaves. This summer, I really went all out with the tropicals to get my garden full and lush. This meant annuals and lots of propagation of my plants through winter and spring.
I had canna saved from last year, but I have also purchased quite a few more this year to save for next year. The roots store easily in the basement. I dig them up, wrap them in paper and oak leaves, and pack them into cardboard boxes. They can be started in early Spring to get a jump on the season or you can just pop them in the ground next spring when the nights are above 45 degrees. The same can be done for dahlias.
I saved all my rex begonias, dividing and propagating them during winter. They are prefect in window boxes.
I took cuttings of African Basil, Scented Geraniums, Tradescantia, and Pineapple Sage so that I had about 20-30 plants for the following season.
Another super easy thing to do was over-winter my large containers containing Elephant ears, Begonia, and Oxalis in the basement. Cut the leaves back and cover the top with cardboard. Bring the pots out in Spring, add water and compost, and they will be as good as the previous year, if not better.
This year, I bought a Passionflower that I will cut back and keep growing in the basement under lights through the winter. Hoping to keep it alive.
Propagation on the mind, but don’t for get to enjoy the end of this summer season.
