Elaine,
Glad you found the B&B. It is a wonderful plant visually and for the hummers. I now have 5 and plant to take more cuttings this year (although I don't have the foggiest idea of where I will put them.

Even the most seasoned hummer watchers/enthusiasts never tire of watching their antics. Have another glass of that wine and enjoy!

Penny

Penny,
Do you over-winter the cuttings successfully?

Even though Penny is the field rep. for Black & Blue, in fact I've long suspected she gets a commission for each plant sold worldwide, I'm going the chime in. And don't tell Penny I said that. Considering how many people grow this cultivar she must be a rich and powerful woman by now.

You should be able to overwinter B&B without too much trouble as long as you're growing it in a dry sight. Other B&B growers don't agree with me on my in-ground overwintering method, so expect other suggestions. Leave the stems standing after frost has cut them down and cover with a thick layer of leaves. You can pull the leaves off and cut the dead stems back in spring. Up here plants left in the ground are usually late to bloom, sometimes not until late July, while those overwintered indoors can bloom in June or earlier. Watch out for this plant, after a couple of years it will begin to spread out (you pay 10 cents a foot to Penny), but it is easy to pull, and for a small charge from you-know-who you can give it to friends.

I had six lovely B&B's last year. Based on the helpful information from this forum, I dug up the tubers (?) last fall and put them into pots and brought them into the garage. Only one made it back this year, and it is JUST about to bloom. I bought 5 more this spring that have been blooming for weeks now. But I am in zone 5, so maybe you will have better luck. (Hmmm, if I have bought 11 plants, how much does that give Penny....?).

Seriously, does anyone have a better way for those of us up north to overwinter them (and for that matter, fuschias?). Thanks!

I can't help you with that mfliegner. I have never been able to overwinter that or the regular guaranitica. But I manage to buy a plant or two in the spring. I am a zone south of you too. I remember reading either on this or the Pennsylvania forum that someone in the pocono mountains of Pennsylvania in a zone 5 like you managed to overwinter hers and it was situated in a sunny well drained rocky hill next to her house for more protection if that helps Good Luck. Sarah

I put my outside plants under the house. We have a walk-in space where I keep all my garden junk. It's nice and dry and I check them and water occasionally. If you have any type of crawl space, I expect you could try to overwinter that way as it would be warmer than a garage (at least in the south it is).

I would guess you're supposed to cut back the B&B, but when do you do that...fall or spring? Do rooted cuttings do better than trying to overwinter the entire plant? I will probably try both, even though Penny may not not like that idea :~). I'll likely end up buying more plants in the spring because I like it anyway. Thanks all.
Elaine