| I just purchased two Monrovia LILY OF THE NILE plants They are cold tolerant (according to the tag) in zones 8-11 In the NorthEast -- am I supposed to keep them alive during the winter in a lighted window indoors ----- or should I put them in the basement and let them go dormant? Please advise on best care in CT. Bruce |
| Agapanthus africanus is not very cold tolerant, so you would need to protect it indoors for the winter. When grown indoors, this plant needs bright light. Keep the soil evenly moist during the growing and flowering season, but allow it to dry out slightly (and stop fertilizing) during the winter when it rests. It may even die back after blooming (some varieties are deciduous and some are evergreen). It will do best in cooler temperatures of about 50 to 55 degrees at night and 65 to 70 degrees in the daytime. If yours are evergreen, you can keep them as houseplants; if yours are deciduous, set them in the basement for the duration. Next spring, begin watering more heavily as it comes into growth and gradually acclimate it to the outdoors again. Do not repot until absolutely necessary, it seems to bloom better when jam packed in the container. Enjoy your lily of the Nile! |
