Plumbago auiculata, pruning and overwintering

Posts

• Rubytoo Posts: 1,630

  October 2023

  I tend to go with RHS advice mostly.
  It says your Plumbago is H2 Which is tolerant of low temperatures, but won't survive being frozen. That is 1 to 5 degrees C.
  If your temperatures are likely to be lower could you take it indoors?
  I think I would be inclined to go with spring pruning as the old foliage might protect the plant a bit over winter.
  Also bubble wrap or a thick old towel wrapped around the pot would give more protection keep the pot from freezing.
  And keeping it on the dry side, as it is supposed to be drought tolerant.
  
  Fingers crossed and good luck, it is a lovely thing .
  
  

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• NormandyLiz Posts: 788

  October 2023

  Thanks, @Rubytoo. That was my gut feeling but I don't have the confidence to go with it when I see other expert advice contradicting. 
  
  I could bring it in if necessary but there are few places it would fit, hence the preference to keep it in the greenhouse. But yes, it is a lovely thing and I'll do what's best for it. 

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• Rubytoo Posts: 1,630

  October 2023

  I know what you mean about contradictory advice. Leaves you uncertain and it is especially hard if someone like your aunt has given you something special.
  
  If bringing it into the house  is a problem because of space, you could cut it back so it would fit. They do grow quite big it seems.
  I think that the GW advice one looks like they expect you to cut it back and bring in for the winter they say indoors, they mention conservatory, which although often warmer, is not necessarily so. It is tender but they do not mention the temperature range.
  
  So that is why I would prefer the RHS one for the greenhouse.
  
  If you do not have heating in your greenhouse make sure the pot is not on the ground place it on shelving and use something underneath the pot too like another old folded towel bubble wrap or cardboard to help insulate. recently saw a mention of using a lump of polystyrene.
  
  I only have a little blowaway, but when it threatens to freeze, I use some six pint milk bottles filled with hot water and wrapped in a towel near vulnerable plants. It does help to keep a degree or two of frost off.
  
  

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• Nollie Posts: 7,529

  October 2023

  I left my potted one outside last year, the whole pot (underneath too) wrapped in bubblewrap and a fleece thrown over it. I could’ve hauled it up to the poly but it’s so leaky and unheated the temperature difference is negligible. It gets down to -8c here with very heavy frosts. I left it unpruned, but you could certainly trim it to make wrapping easier.

  Mountainous Northern Catalunya, Spain. Hot summers, cold winters.

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• NormandyLiz Posts: 788

  October 2023

  Thank you,  @Nollie, that's really helpful. I'm sure we have a spare duvet so I can wrap it in that. I've seen a couple of other places that say you can prune in early winter and that would help wrapping it.
  

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• Nollie Posts: 7,529

  October 2023

  Liz, I should have said it was also against a south-facing stone wall, so that will have helped.

  Mountainous Northern Catalunya, Spain. Hot summers, cold winters.

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• NormandyLiz Posts: 788

  October 2023

  Thanks @Nollie. Yes, mine is also against a south facing wall. If we get a really bad winter I'll probably bring it into the garage where the freezer keeps things just a little warmer (or less cold). Otherwise I think I'm going to risk it wrapped in the greenhouse.

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