Overwintering Lotus vine (lotus berthelotii)??

Discussion in 'Outdoor Tropicals' started by koipondgardener, Sep 21, 2008.

  1. koipondgardener

    koipondgardener Active Member

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    I have a wonderfully huge lotus vine growing in my yard (zone 6b) and I would love to bring it in my unheated garage, that rarely freezes, and store it dorment for the winter. I am thinking of placing it atop the upright deep freezer to give it a little extra warm. Do any of you think this will work, can I create a zone 9 winter with this approach? How much water should I give it? Will it need light? any ideas would be much appreciated.
     
  2. koipondgardener

    koipondgardener Active Member

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    BUMP!... also, I was going to let the first frost get it before I move it. Is this ideal?
     
  3. njhsharp

    njhsharp Member

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    Hey there, I know that you posted this last winter but I was thinking about the same thing myself this time and wondered how you got on,

    Nick in Vancouver, NC - Zone 8-ish
     
  4. growest

    growest Active Member 10 Years

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    Not much help, but I did overwinter mine last winter in it's hanging basket keeping it in a slightly heated greenhouse. The plant seems somewhat hardy, taking temps several degrees below freezing in there, but the roots never froze like they would left totally outdoors in my area.

    The greenhouse is well lit tho...so I can't comment on how yours would do in a dark garage. I also kept mine as dry as I dared, not wanting to jog it into any growth until spring.

    This is such a pretty plant, both foliage and the intriguing flowers. Interesting how it doesn't bloom until the days shorten considerably, so putting it in a protected area allowed a lot more enjoyment of those flowers before winter finally stopped them.
     
  5. koipondgardener

    koipondgardener Active Member

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    well, it was just september 08 when I posted this lotus vine question. so it is the outcome isn't for sure at this point.

    here is an update-

    I let it get hit by frost and down to about 27-28* F. (killed a lot of the foliage).
    This last weekend i dug it up out of the ground after heavily pruning it back to about a one foot square plant. (it was about 6-8 ft sq.) I gently pryed the root mass out to find a much bigger ball than I thought there would be sine it was just one summer in the ground. I put the plant in a 1-2 gallon plastic pot and put him right up next to the house for a few days before the forecast called for a 24* low that would definitely be the end of the lotus in a flimsy pot.

    It now resides in my fairly bright attached garage (windows on both east and west walls) on the concrete floor until it really cools down too much, then I will put it up on top of the deep freezer perhaps.In the same vicinity I have a red cordyline and a still growing pinapple sage that I brought in to protect it from frost one night, and it never made it back out.

    the stems are surprisingly woody for only a season's worth of growth.
    I had it in the ground this year and it grew like a monster but only produced a few blooms early in the season then I never saw another one. I had other lotus vines, but they grew in pots and they all flowered profusely. I wonder why?
     

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