I just did not have the proper weather to successfully grow them. My winter weather pattern is ............
January Rain for a week and 40 - 50s and over night we are in the 20 - minus 1 degrees. They were rotting in the block of ice. I tried growing them on layer of rocks with soil on top of rocks but the rain and sudden freeze was to much. Had some success but they were very small the following year. Each yr smaller until nothing.
This experiment has worked for 3 yrs this is my fourth Spring. I have not lost one plant and I am getting increase in growth like my hostas.
-Dollar store coir liners
-Dollar store wire to wrap around the liners for stability.
-I line the bottom of the coir with oak leaves
-Next I mix half homemade compost, and good potting soil.
- Plant your Herc.
- October I remove them from the garden.
Place them on their side and pile oak leaves on top of the pots.
-_The leaves keep. the soil moist but the large amount of rain and water log problem is eliminated because they are on their side.
Here is what it looks like.
All planted ready for the garden. This is after winter storage. Notice how full and fresh it looks. Very little dead leaves and a full plant.
Brush the soil to the side.
Place your plant and push soil mulch around the pot. It does not take much because these pots are not tall.
Humm it looks like I want more color in this area so I just repeat step one.
This is a potted herc easy to remove in the fall and I do not lose them every year. They do not look like they are in a pot and appear to be planted in the garden. Finally I am able to enjoy these plants and do. not feel I am buying expensive annuals.
FYI. I forgot to add I add a teaspoon of slow release fertilizer to the soil at planting in the soil and in the Spring .
