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Not hardening plants off in your part of the world: hellebore & foxglove

2

Posts

  • JennyJJennyJ Posts: 10,576
    other
    Like others I wouldn't have had them indoors. If the plants have been grown outside (on a nursery for example) and have only been inside for a few weeks, I think they'll probably be fine. Any new growth made in those few weeks might be soft and get some frost damage.
    If they've been grown all their lives in warm indoor conditions (maybe 18 - 20 degrees C), moving them outside at the moment (about 6 or 7 max daytime, sometimes frost at night) would damage and maybe kill off the soft growth, but I don't think the plant itself would die. I think they'd probably regrow in time.

    Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
  • Hostafan1Hostafan1 Posts: 34,889
    shrug
    both hellebores and foxglove self seed in my garden. They don't need protection
    Devon.
  • FireFire Posts: 19,096
    edited March 2022
    Good grief. This forum really isn't great at answering the given question.

    Say, a well grown hellebore or a foxglove in a three litre pot has been in your house for a few weeks. The threat of frost has passed. What effect would you expect to see if you suddenly left these plants outside.

    Imagine a friend was sent these as a birthday present. They bought these online. The plants have been inside in a depot for a good few days. For good or ill the receiver has had them in their kitchen for a few weeks, waiting to go out. It's a fairly common experience, not meaningless at all. My garden group swap plants all the time and they don't always get put outside right away.

    As the question makes clear, these are examples. Or take a clematis or a phlox. I was away when they arrive, a friend took the online delivery for me and they have inside for a week. The question is not concerned with whether they are biennial or not or whether they selfseed or if the ground is waterlogged. 🙄Just use a little imagination.
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    other
    The question's already been answered - by me and @JennyJ re acclimatising.  :/

    Goalposts being moved springs to mind.  :)
    I'm off.....
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • Pete.8Pete.8 Posts: 11,340
    other
    Say, a well grown hellebore or a foxglove in a three litre pot has been in your house for a few weeks. The threat of frost has passed. What effect would you expect to see if you suddenly left these plants outside.
    It largely depends on the weather, but generally I wouldn't think it would affect the plant in the least. After all that's the environment they are meant for.
    I'd leave it outside for a few days then plant when you're ready.

    Billericay - Essex

    Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
    Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
  • Hostafan1Hostafan1 Posts: 34,889
    shrug
    hardy plants sit outside in nurseries and garden centres all winter .
    Why would anyone bring them indoors?
    Devon.
  • raisingirlraisingirl Posts: 7,093
    edited March 2022
    There would be an inital shock, but I expect the plant would be pretty fine pretty quickly
    Not everyone has sheltered (or any) space outside. If all you have is a small front garden and no other space, you don't have a lot of options.

    I think, because they are hardy and quite well grown, they'll shrug it off fairly readily. If they've been kept inside in a heated room, they'll quite probably be glad to get into the cool fresh air again. But I haven't tried it, so I can't be sure. In my windy, cold garden, I'd tend to put anything that's been in any way protected into a halfway place before planting out, but in a town garden, I doubt it would be particularly useful 
    Gardening on the edge of Exmoor, in Devon

    “It's still magic even if you know how it's done.” 
  • FireFire Posts: 19,096
    edited March 2022

    Fairygirl said:
    Plants like that would never be undercover to start with, so I'm afraid it's pretty meaningless.

    Waitrose do an annual sale of three foxglove or delphinium plants for £10. These are in the stores for weeks (not sold as an online offer) and not outside.

    My neighbours often struggle with space on their small patios and end up putting pots in their bath tubs and in their kitchens while they organise their planting. I have had a clematis in my sink for ten days.

    Thank you for those who have given time to address the question asked, without dismissing it.

  • Pete.8Pete.8 Posts: 11,340
    other
    I've bought quite a few perennials from Waitrose  - 3 for £10 in 3L pots.
    They sometimes have 3 for the price of 2 shrubs for £16 in 3L pots.
    Excellent value and they're very healthy plants (from Crocus I believe)

    The plants are kept outside at the Billericay branch

    Billericay - Essex

    Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
    Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    Pete.8 said:
    I've bought quite a few perennials from Waitrose  - 3 for £10 in 3L pots.
    They sometimes have 3 for the price of 2 shrubs for £16 in 3L pots.
    Excellent value and they're very healthy plants (from Crocus I believe)

    The plants are kept outside at the Billericay branch
    As are the the plants at the W’rose down the road here. 

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





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