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no_clue

Only a few blooms left

No-Clue
10 years ago

Hello friends,

I was lurking looking for tips on how to prepare my plants for the winter. My goal is to not lose any this winter, but only time will tell.

I was contemplating when I should cut off the leaves and move them under the covered patio but so far I still have some plants blooming... so I guess I will wait another week or so. The question I have is for those late inflos do I cut them off or leave them?

Saigon Moon... looking more white/yellow now due to cooler temps.

Divine still blooming on all 3 tips. Again colors are less intense. But still so pretty.

Elsie still blooming on both tips while pushing a brand new inflo on a third!

Lani is looking much better! Glad I didn't toss her... she's beginning to look like the real deal. :) But even if she's not, she's turning into a real beauty!

Delightful also still blooming on 4 tips... What a beauty.

Orange Jack. What a big surprise. Still blooming its head off.

Orange Jack deserves a closer look.

Cherokee Geisha. Need I say more?

Whirlwind got a late start so I don't think she's blooming to her true potential. Still very pretty nevertheless.

Kimi M... I almost gave her away at the beginning of the season because I was not that impressed with her last year. Boy did she prove me wrong! What a stunner!

CA Sunset.

Star of Siam kind of reminds me of Raspberry Sundae.

My Valentine. Huge flowers and awesome scent.

TC from George's friend. Gorgeous!

Hula Girl. Glad I didn't give up on her! She sat next to the trash bin all summer before deciding to grace me with her beauty. Oh and I did I say she smells heavenly?

Hula Girl.

Hula Girl inflo # 1. Cut or keep?

Hula Girl inflo #2. Cut or keep?

Thailand Red still going strong.

Thailand Red a closer look.

Charlotte Ebert also pushing 3 inflos! This is just one of them. Cut or keep?

My biggest surprise of them all... my Viola G is pushing a new inflo! Now what??? I really want to see what she looks like but I know the weather is turning colder especially at night going down to the mid 50s.

Any suggestions on how to get her to bloom? Thank you for looking!

Comments (6)

  • rox146
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    so gorgeous! In SoCal, I would leave them as we could get some warm weather still. That's what I am hoping for anyway so my late inflos will bloom. I am glad you did not give up on many of those either. I have My Valentine and Theodora Crimson and am very happy I do. Best of luck to you... roxanne

  • chuy415
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Wow. What a beautiful collection!!! Amazing ;-). I think the coolest temps in SoCal (dana point) is around 54degrees. I think you're ok- not positive but I wouldn't worry too much.

    Chuy

  • PRO
    the_first_kms2
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Lynn,
    I usually let the plant decide on what it will keep and not keep (leaves, inflos, seedpods, etc.). As far as protecting them right now I would wait a little bit longer until temps routinely go below 50 degrees at night and that would mostly be moving closer to the house or to a southern exposure for the youngest and reds (which in my experience are the most cold sensitive).

  • isobea
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I agree with kms2. I'm in Carlsbad (3 miles from the beach) and I've occasionally woken up to 40 degrees at 6 am in previous winters, but all my plants survived OK. The potted ones get moved up close to the house under the patio cover to protect them from cold rain. I always leave the inflos on and many of them will bloom the following spring before new inflos mature.
    Good luck, Iso

    PS: I still have flowers on my San Miguel, Mona Lisa, Polynesian Red, Divine, Cal. Sunset and Samoan Fluff.

  • No-Clue
    Original Author
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Thank you for your inputs!!

    Ok hands off and I'll just let the plants decide. I was feeling sick thinking I would have to chop them off! I never thought about the inflos surviving and maybe blooming earlier next season. So that's exciting!

    I am still going to get the frost blankets for the coldest nights though :) Thanks again!

  • pdxcher
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Such pretty flowers!!!

    I agree with everyone else. I used to live in Fountain Valley. My babies were under the deck (covered), but in full south facing sun. I also kept it out of the rain as much as possible (but still in the sun). They rarely dropped leaves, would continue growing them, some would even start to push inflows again when we'd have warm spells.

    If you can find a nice covered south facing area, in which they get full sun all day, I'd put them there and leave them.

    I also lived in Newport Beach (where it's overcast almost year-round), and my plants did fine outside. Even when it was hailing and freezing. I never even knew I was supposed to "winterize" them until I moved to Oregon this past July.

    Good luck. I hope they keep blooming. I know a handful of my adopted out plants are still blooming a lot.