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Care of penstemon - cuttings and mature plants.

JacksGardenJacksGarden Posts: 36
in Plants
My grandad gave me a three penstemon plants. They have flowered wonderfully in my pots all summer. 




Cuttings

I took some penstamon cuttings from these plants on 28th August and have potted them up today, as pictured. They had rooted and started to grow. Hopefully I'll get another ten plants for next season for the new garden! (We should be moving soon and I'm hoping for a garden, not just pots on a drive at the new house.)

They have grown, several per pot with a freezer bag over them so far. After potting them up into this modular tray I returned them to the same windowsill for now, minus a cover. 

How should these be cared for over winter? Just outside, in a cold frame or indoors? 



Mature Plants

These are still flowering. What care do these need over winter?

Should they be left in the pots? Outside, cold frames? Do they need cutting down? How much? 

Currently living in Yorkshire, but will soon be moving to Nottinghamshire to give you an idea about weather. 

Thanks!
Gardener of a driveway pot garden - flowers one side, veg the other and a car in the middle. I am so looking forward to the day we can move into a house with a bigger garden.

Posts

  • AngelicantAngelicant Posts: 130
    edited October 2022
    Your penstemons look lovely. Mine have been disappointing this year. After a brief flurry earlier on they have done nothing all summer but are now all about to burst into flower. I hope we don't get any early frosts.
    Your cuttings will be fine outside in a sheltered spot or a cold frame.
    The same with your existing plants. Tuck them next to a house wall or similar and leave them until  April/May as the foliage protects the crown from frost then you can cut the old stems off once the weather starts to warm up.
  • Arthur1Arthur1 Posts: 542
    Angelicant said:
    Your penstemons look lovely. Mine have been disappointing this year. After a brief flurry earlier on they have done nothing all summer but are now all about to burst into flower. I hope we don't get any early frosts.
    Your cuttings will be fine outside in a sheltered spot or a cold frame.
    The same with your existing plants. Tuck them next to a house wall or similar and leave them until  April/May as the foliage protects the crown from frost then you can cut the old stems off once the weather starts to warm up.
    Agree with all above - leave them sheltered, in a sunny spot and don't disturb them over winter.  You might get some losses if we get a cold wet winter.
    Mine suffered this summer and I think I need to replace them, good excuse to try some different cultivars, I tend to stick to the old favourites.
  • JacksGardenJacksGarden Posts: 36
    Thanks both for the replies and good advice!

    I had been looking online for a cold frame. Decent ones are about £60. But I managed to find a cold frame on Facebook for a tenner the other day. ☺️☺️☺️
    Gardener of a driveway pot garden - flowers one side, veg the other and a car in the middle. I am so looking forward to the day we can move into a house with a bigger garden.
  • JacksGardenJacksGarden Posts: 36


    I've had mine outside on the corner of the house. Seems to have worked because it's been cold. 

    Was worried when the soil in the pots went totally solid with the frosts! 
    Gardener of a driveway pot garden - flowers one side, veg the other and a car in the middle. I am so looking forward to the day we can move into a house with a bigger garden.
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