Overwintering my ensette's

Thinking ahead slightly, but the ensettes I've got I want to keep to grow on next year.

What is the best way to do this?

Do dig up, remove the soil and dry store, or dig up, pot them and move them either indoors or the shed or garage??

Ta for the replies in advance,

Al

 

I would suggest digging them up, transferring them into pots and storing them in a frost-free, well ventilated greenhouse - if no greenhouse the garage should be OK. Wherever you decide don't wait too long before the 1st night frost as they will want to get established in their new surroundings. Don't know which variety you have but I think you also have to remove most of the leaves. Maybe someone else will come along and confirm that. Good luck!

 

They need Heat & Light if you want to continue to grow them through the winter (although just moving them to the greenhouse in late Autumn will keep them going whereas outside they would already grind to a halt). I stuck mine under a grow lamp last Winter as they were too small to do anything else with [they were bought, cheap, in the Autumn sales ].

To "store" them they need to be a reasonably decent size. If they aren't big enough you need to grow them on, or cut your losses and re-buy next year (earlier in the season to get them bigger by late Autumn next year).

For storage you can lift them, chop off all roots and leaves, hang upside down to drain all water out of them for a day or two (but not longer as the developing rollers will be trying to grow in a direction based on gravity [do not store on their side, for same reason]), and then store them in the loft or somewhere dry and frost free. Dust the cut bottoms with sulphur if you have any and just stand them in the smallest pot that will fit - no compost required.

In the spring put into the smallest pot you can fit them into with free-est draining compost you have - 50:50 multi purpose and perlite should do, but sand/grit etc will do instead. Absolute minimum of water. Provide some heat - conservatory should be getting warm during the day by then? They will still be very prone to rot, hence do not water until you have roots. Once you get roots you can water, and pot on and away you go <FingersCrossed!>

 

Well done Kristen - Al I told you someone would come along with some sound info.

 

Al look at this video as you will need in future and btw you should really thing to build a greenhouse , mine are going in the greenhouse and for some reasons they have done better then the one indoor.

 

Thanks for the replies guys, a great help

No greenhouse I'm afraid and I don't think I will have one until the little ones grow up, nor a conservatory (yet, it's on the "to do list"). I could bring them indoors in the spare room or vestibule if needs be though.

 

I kept mine in the spare room as well , just buy a large plastic base to put on the floor , so that water will not damage carpet/woodfloor and keep the misses very happy , that is the most important step of indoor overwintering secret ............keep the misses happy .:ktykss:

 

Loft? (provided not above the insulation such that it gets super-cold in Winter)

 

I think I'll do this then. It's Far warmer in the winter than the garage or shed!

 

with a bit of light will get bigger and stronger , look at mine they where just 1 feet tall last year.

 

Fab!! Thanks sal!!