I've tried digging up guaraniticas to overwinter in plastic bags in the basement. It works, but I've run into a couple problems following replanting the next year. First, when I've done this with black & blue the plants dry out way too quickly, wilting badly by late afternoon even if soaked daily. They should be able to go a few days without water even in hot weather. I'm guessing this may be caused by big air pockets in the soil, between/under the tubers. The bulky tubers make it difficult to get the dirt filled in completely when re-planting. Another issue I've had, with both black & blue and blue ensign, is mid to late season a main branch or two will suddenly go bad, either wilting and dying or just not looking healthy for the rest of the season. The cause may be the same as the first issue I mentioned.
Does anyone have a possible solution to my issues? It's easy to fill in the soil around a plant that comes out of a 4" square pot. It's not easy completely filling in soil around a much larger, uneven, tuberous root system.
