I don't have a greenhouse, but I do have some tender perennials that I overwinter in a variety of places: the unused foyer for the formal front door, the cold cellar where I store veggies, and in the kitchen which has bright light and cooler than household temperatures.

My absolute favorite is Evolvulus glomeratus, which makes a great houseplant, but I also overwinter in their pots Salvia 'Black and Blue', coleus, and Dahlias along with geraniums (Pelargoniums), both zonal and scented. The Evolvulus and the zonal Pelargonium both bloom for me starting in February as the days get longer.

I love persian shield! Unfortunately I don't do well with overwintering. I've tried with a few things - coleus comes to mind - and I just can't get things to hang on past March or so. No luck with houseplants either, so I'm sure the two are related - probably bound together by the common theme of my neglect...

Babs, about those dahlias - are you talking about the tubers, or,as I think you are saying, do you overwinter the whole plant indoors? That's interesting, if that's what you do... I have successfully overwintered tubers, but it's kind of hit or miss - one year I had so many tubers I didn't know what to do, (every single one survived AND I had ordered more just in case) and the next year I had one or two, because they didn't survive and I DIDN"T order more, lol.

I have overwintered pelargoniums too - didn't believe this would work when I heard it, but it did - I dug them up, shook off the dirt, cut them back, and hung them upside down from the rafters in the basement. In spring, repotted, and voila! Haven't done that for a few years either. I'm so pressed for time that often its easier just to buy new ones in spring. Same with the dahlias, coleus, etc.

Any plants that aren't true annuals have the potential to be saved over winter. Whether or not it works is always a gamble, but it's free to try. I don't have a greenhouse, I just bring them inside with the house plants.

I've had success with Begonias, polka dot plant (Hypoestes,) Coleus, Alternanthera, spikes (Dracaena/Cordyline,) Brugmansia (angel trumpets,) Plectranthus 'Mona Lavender' & others.

Tuberous/bulb plants one can save dormant, in a cool, dry, dark place (like a basement:) Cannas, Gladiolus, elephant ears (taro, Colocasia esculenta,) sweet potato, Caladiums, Oxalis (shamrocks,)

though possible .. i have found in my MI ... that the forced air furnace really messes with available humidity .... and they can get pretty ugly by winters end ...

just an aside for those readers in other circs ...

wish i had a greenhouse ... but then again .. in MI ... it would have to be heavily heated for winter ...

ken

My co-worker gave me her Walking Iris (neomarica) that she always kept in the office so it never bloomed. I put it outside from May to October and it does great. I actually haven't seen any blooms yet this year, but it's put out a ton of off-shoots (I potted up a few and gave them away at work). These were taken last year late summer.

Ohhh, those are so pretty, I must look for that one.

I have done the same as Babs and Tiffy, bringing pots into a cool dark room in the basement, with many of the plants they listed. When they break dormancy in the spring they are brought into the light.

Dahlia tubers survive better for me if they are in a pot of soil. When I dig the tubers in the fall I leave a short stem and pot them up, letting the soil dry out before moving to the basement. If they break dormancy earlier than I like I cut the spindly growth off and they will start growing again later. If there wasn't a big group of tubers I let them grow in the same pot until planting out. Those that have many tubers in a pot get divided in the spring and repotted until planting out.

Like how the circular pot emphasizes the curvature of the Persian Shield leaves, Annette.

Great success with the oleander, katob.

Ooh, keb, those walking iris are so interesting. Sadly I overwatered the one I got at a swap and didn't ever see any bloom before it died.

I put the whole Dahlia pot in the bright but cold foyer after the foliage has been killed by frost, and do the same with the B&B Salvia most years. Some years I have overwintered the Salvia in the cold-cellar (root cellar), but it is much later starting if I do that. The geraniums, coleus and evolvulus all live in a bright window in the kitchen which is kept in the low 60's and has a humidifier, so I think it's more plant-friendly than the rest of the house.

I'm with Dee. Somehow overwintering, house plants and I do not mix! I love Persian shield and actually rooted cuttings one year, alone with coleus and geraniums. Potted them all up and waited. They did fairly well, but I was not able to neglect them as I would house plants (hence the reason I have none). Buying new plants in spring seemed more appealing to me after my little experiment.

I do overwinter gladiolus, and caladium ( if I remember to dig them up before they rot.....). I'm going to try to overwinter dahlia tubers this fall too.

i envy those of you that take the time and effort to care for the tender plants. That oleander is stunning.

I grow a lot of tender/tropicals in pots. Dahalia, Cannas, Calla Lily, Star Jasmine, Banana, Glads, Elephant Ears, Ginger, I agree the longer you can keep the Persian Shield and bring it out the following Summer it looks prettier each year.

Because I have the tenders in pots there is no digging. I just bring the pots and place them in the back of the Laundry Room and give them just a splash of water maybe once a month. Some times I have only given them a splash of water twice during winter.

I kept the Persian Sheild so long a few years back it became a tree. I finally had to take cuttings because it was just to big to bring inside.

Thanks for info on your Persian Shield, I have 3 plants in my container, I think I can leave it one more year before I have to divide them. I don't want to think about how many years I looked for PS before I found it, I sure don't want to lose the plants I have cause, sure as shooting if I did lose them it I probably not be able to find a replacement.

Last year when I bought the three plants I took cuttings, when rooted I sent them off in the mail to someone else who hadn't any luck in finding it.

Annette

I overwinter a variety of tender perennials/tropical/subtropicals under lights or in a dark corner of the basement (Brugmansias). A success story this year is the tree morning glories that I grew and flowered from seed last year. Cut back and potted up, they survived but looked miserable indoors. Come warm weather outdoors with sun and ample water they took off and the first buds should be open soon.

http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/52996/

I have quite a few Brugs, but only two blooming at present 'Ecuador Pink' and 'Sunset' the rest are still small from rooted cuttings last year, some recently bought, some from Brugs I've had for years. Singles and some doubles, in white, pink. yellow and orange. Once I've seen them all in bloom I'll keep the ones I like the most and swap the others for something else I don't have room for 20. I used to have trouble with the tubs tipping over when it was windy, solved that by pushing a bamboo stake up through one of the drainage holes in the tub or pot and then pushing the stake back down into the ground to anchor it.

I grew a corkscrew vine (Cochliasanthus caracalla) from seed last year, overwintered in the house it is still not much to look at and hasn't bloomed yet but it seems to be healthy, maybe it needs another year under it's belt. Anyone else growing this one? How do you care for it?

Annette

I tend to push hardiness zones so it's not just 'tender' perennials I need to worry about in winter but also a number of suspect shrubs. And because I no longer have a lot of gardenable real estate, I grow most of them in containers.

On the whole, I tend to let them fare for themselves in winter.......I certainly do not have the ability or space to bring indoors a bunch of containers of woody plants! I do group them together and will sometimes wrap for additional cold protection if very cold weather is predicted but otherwise, they are on their own.

I also grow a lot of succulents, most of which are not winter hardy. They go outdoors in spring and come back indoors as houseplants in winter. The only other plant I am considering attempting to overwinter indoors is Cuphea 'Vermillionaire' simply because my hummers adore it and it is now a big, robust, non-stop blooming plant and I'd hate to start over again with a small version next spring. Otherwise, with any other 'tender' or temperennials, if they make it fine - if not, also fine :-) Will try something else next season!

ps. Have attempted to overwinter kangaroo paws (Anigozanthos species) indoors several times but with no success. They just dry up and die, even with bright light and regular (but not too frequent) water. Anyone have any luck with overwintering these in colder climates?

I'm my cold sunroom I've had luck overwintering these listed below. Watering every few weeks or so.

Many geranium

sweet potato vine

lantana

bougainvillaea (surprisingly)

It sure saves money when it comes to filling huge pots.

I came home with a couple of coleus cuttings this summer, I know they are no longer called coleus but it easier to say as well as write. My son was house sitting for a friend and said she wouldn't mind if I took a couple of cuttings as it would be tossed when she came home.

It was a real eye catcher in a gorgeous container, the plants were very full and around 2ft. high if I remember correctly with no flowers. Top side of the leaves were a very bright chartreuse, the bottom sides were a vivid, almost shocking purple. The closest I could match it up googling was 'Henna' but the underside of the leaves on that one are more of a rust color. Anyone have any ideas of what it might be?

I do have to say now that they are potted up and in a lower light in the greenhouse they are a little on the drab side as far as color goes and does look more like the pictures of 'Henna' I've seen, fingers crossed I can keep them through the winter, I think it's a real beauty.

Annette

What? They're not Coleus any more? Geez, I can't keep up with all the name changes.
At first I thought this might be the one you're talking about, but it doesn't look like Henna so maybe not. I can't find the name tag for it, anyhow. This never flowered, that one in back is from another Coleus behind it. I think I'll bring the pot into the basement and see if it will overwinter for me.

Sorry about losing your Persian Shield Sandyslopes, hopefully you will find it again in the coming year, from now on I'll always try to winter mine whether plant or cuttings because if I don't I won't be able to find it again, that said, all the garden centers seemed to have it this year LOL.

Lovely Coleus by the way, well worth bringing in for the winter, take a couple of cuttings for insurance. My Persian Shield is now in the greenhouse for the winter, still looking really good but will probably look ratty by the time spring comes, I'll cut it back then.

Annette

There are always a few borderlines which sneak past my discerning (lazy) eyes...and have to be fussed and pampered - zaluzianskya ovata...or various finicky S.A.corms and tubers (bessera, watsonia). Since all greenhouse space is spoken for with seedling raising, it is inevitably touch and go wheher some plants will simply drop off the radar, dessicating, unlovely and lonely in a dark corner under the bench...although the ability to produce hopeful leafage from bone-dry dust never ceases to amaze.

Camp, "dessicating, unlovely and lonely in a dark corner under the
bench...although the ability to produce hopeful leafage from bone-dry
dust never ceases to amaze."

That happens to you too :). The Cardiocrinum seeds are ready to be mailed, if you have messaged me your address I haven't received it yet.

Annette