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jab502

Heliconia, Ginger, Colocasia in Z7? help.

jab502
13 years ago

I am going to try to keep a few tropicals in Portland, OR which is zone 7. I know that I will need to overwinter but I am wondering what methods would work best. I am going to start with heliconia rostrata, heliconia latispatha, pinecone ginger, white butterfly ginger, and pink china and thai gigantea colocosia.

Can you please advise on the following questions? Or share any information that you have because I am a total rookie and have no idea what I am doing.

First is the heliconia. These are the ones I am most worried about. I am being shipped 1 latispatha that is already of flowering size and 1 rostrata that is a small plant. I have been told that this plant does not go dormant and will simply die if I allow it to get too cold. I have 3 options. Please advise on the best one. I can keep the plants all winter in my home at 70 degrees in a South facing window. In Oregon during the winter we get very little sun so these plants may not get much light. Or I can keep them under a t5 bulb. Or I have one 400W metal halide bulb that I could keep them under. Do you think they can survive on natural light? I would prefer to not use the artificial lights but if that is the only way then I will do it.

With the ginger I have been told that they like to go dormant so just put them in my garage in dry soil and water very sparingly over the winter. Then get them into a bright window around March and into pots on my patio once the weather gets warm. Is this right?

The colocosia that I am receiving is a young plant with fibrous roots not a full tuber developed yet. I am planning on keeping these in my South facing windows. Or would it be better to put them in a cool dark closet all winter?

I really need some help. Thank you very much.

Jake

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