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Overwintering Echium

brian stoatbrian stoat Posts: 111
in Plants
I was gifted a small Echium at the start of the season, which has grown beautifully and I now need to get it through to next year to see the flowers.
Greenhouse of course. Heated around 7 degrees in previous years for other occupants.
But watering? Should I keep it completely dry, or is it going to need some water?
Anybody got any experience here please?
Thanks in advance👍🏼
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  • brian stoatbrian stoat Posts: 111

  • brian stoatbrian stoat Posts: 111
    This is the plant in question.
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    Well it's certainly a handsome beast ... I was given a small  seedling in it's first year in 2019.  It spent its first winter in its pot against the east facing house wall, between a couple of water butts.  
    The following summer I planted it out in the sunniest patch we have at the end of the southeast facing veg garden (freedraining gritty loam) and it stayed there last winter totally unprotected.  This year it shot up to 15'+ and was covered in flowers and bees all summer and autumn.  I've left it where it is to self-seed and will look for seedlings next summer. 🤞

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • brian stoatbrian stoat Posts: 111
    15 feet?! Crikey! I was hoping for another foot or two and a few flowers!
    Interesting that you left it out; though last winter was very mild. 
    Best of luck for the seedlings.
    Cheers B)
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    OH says more like 12' ... he may be right but it's flippin' tall ... mind you I've seen them much taller than that ... 

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • brian stoatbrian stoat Posts: 111
    Whereabouts in the country are you, Dove?
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    Central Norfolk ... south west edge of Norwich 

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • brian stoatbrian stoat Posts: 111
    Thanks👍🏼
  • StephenSouthwestStephenSouthwest Posts: 635
    edited November 2021
    Ours grow quite big - I've recently sawn up the flower stems for logs for the woodburner.
    My experience here in the mild southwest of the UK is that the ones I covered for the worst weather did poorer than the ones I left out in the snow.
    It also might depend on the variety perhaps - they come in very different sizes, and perhaps the larger ones are hardier?
    In terms of watering - most are in the ground so I don't have to think about it over winter, but those in pots outside are still in leaf over winter, so I do give them some water, but less than in summer.
  • brian stoatbrian stoat Posts: 111
    Thanks Stephen. I’m going to have to find out what variety it is, clearly…🤗
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