Shop Products
Houzz Logo Print
bettylu_zone6a

Wintering in sunroom/summer outside in St. Louis? Can I do this?

bettylu_zone6a
12 years ago

I have a friend who gives me broms that are used in the reception area of her office and discarded after a few weeks (I hate just throwing plants away) and I have been able to keep most of them looking nice for many weeks after I receive them. While watching HGTV one day, a landscaper mentioned that broms grow prolifically at his home and that he regularly digs/divides his personal plants to use at others homes when landscaping. This got me thinking about whether or not I could grow them outside in St. Louis during the summer and what exactly I would need to provide for them in order to do so.

1. Will they winter OK in a sunroom that is kept above freezing, but not at a comfortable "people" temperature unless I am actually using the room (This temp could swing between 45 degrees up to 70 degrees)?

2. When they are done flowering, and have started making new side shoots, do I need to re-pot?

3. Do they have a dormant time or are they constantly growing?

4. How warm does the spring/summer outside temperature in St. Louis need to be before I can put them outside and given our heat/humidity (which can be brutal at times), do I put them in shade, morning sun, full sun, or what?

If I cannot get them to look pretty outside during the summer, I don't know what I will do with the potted plants that I currently have! (and will probably get more if I want them) I have a morning sun, sloped spot in my yard at the base of a mature maple that I would love to make all bromeliads if I can and it would be great if I could divide the ones I am currently wintering.

Is this something that will be difficult in St. Louis?

Any help would be appreciated!

BettyLu - Zone 6a

Comments (5)

  • splinter1804
    12 years ago

    Hi everyone,

    BettyLu - As I live "down under", my growing conditions would be vastly different to yours so the best advice I can give you is to go to http://fcbs.org/ and from the home page select "Bromeliad Information", and all your questions should be answered.

    All the best, Nev.

  • philofan
    12 years ago

    Hi Betty Lu,

    1. I think they'll be fine as long as they don't freeze. Above 50 is better, and you can put in a small heater if it dips down. Some species are more sensitive to cold, like most aechmeas. Neos are more tolerant of cold.

    2. Not necessarily. If a plant puts out nice pups which grow out, then I separate them when they are 1/2 to 2/3 size of the parent, and I will repot the pups in a single pot. As they get bigger, you can of course put them individually in larger pots. I keep the parent plant if it's still alive to make more pups.

    3. They are constantly growing, and will flower at different times depending on the species.

    4. I keep mine in part shade/bright shade in the warm months. Morning sun is good because it doesn't burn like the afternoon sun. They can make nice groupings under trees or large bushes where there is filtered light. Maybe you can put them out when night temps are above 55F?

    I'm in N. California and bring the prized plants indoors for the coldest months. Some stay outside under the eaves where it is going to capture some warmth emitting from the house. While they may not be hit by an overhead frost, they are still vulnerable if a persistent freeze comes a long.

  • tsugajunkie z5 SE WI ♱
    12 years ago

    How much sun to give them will depend on which broms you have. I have been overwintering a few (and their descendants) here in zone 5 for about 5-6 years now, so yes, it can be done. The link from splinter and the advice from philo have you off to a good start (although my broms are brought in/taken out using 45F as a guide).

    tj

  • bettylu_zone6a
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    Thanks all for the advice, I did go to the link suggested and found more information than I could process at one sitting!

    By the way, one of mine looks just like the one on the bromeliad forum! It bloomes FOREVER and the bloom is now dried, but still cool looking. Its pup is getting to be a pretty good size too!

  • bahia
    12 years ago

    The one in the forum photo is Aechmea fasciata, and this one is easily grown indoors year round with bright light. I suspect the other bromeliads may include Guzmania hybrids, which are the indoor landscaper's bromeliad of choice in offices as they are available year round in bloom when forced. Or you may have Neoregelias as well.

    In any case, I grow all of these outdoors year round here in northern California, but the Guzmanias are the least cold tolerant and must be protected from winter rains and cold but do fine on a covered porch where temps often get down to high 30'sF in winter at night. Almost any of the more common indoor office type bromeliads ought to do perfectly well with temps above 40F at night, but will grow more quickly if you can keep night time temps above 50F. Probably no need to repot them for a couple of years, and just clip out the dying foliage/dead flower spikes as they brown off.

    As to moving them back outside in spring, I'd suggest waiting until your night time temps are back into the 50F and above range, and keep them in bright shade or limited morning sun so the foliage doesn't burn after being indoors with weaker light all winter.

Sponsored
Industry Leading Countertop company in Loudoun County, VA
More Discussions