hawkeye_daddy said:When I moved my plants to town, the daylilies went in the ground over Thanksgiving weekend. Most of them made it, but some did not. They were all potted; nothing bare root. Zone 5b.
The cold frame will keep the air temperature a little warmer, but Orion is right about the soil temps. How many are you talking about? I'd be tempted to put them in grow bags in a cool basement or insulated garage. Whatever you do, TAKE PICTURES and document the planting. Brecks purports to guarantee their plants, but in my experience, they make you RETURN them before they will honor said guarantee. It's pretty hard to return a rotted tuber, especially if the pill bugs have access to it.
Sure wish you every success. And that what they send actually turns out to be what you ordered! But that could be a whole 'nuther thread.
hawkeye_daddy said:[quote="Arainais"]
What if I potted them up and then sunk the pots in the ground, and then just anchored the cold frame over them in ground? Would that give them a better chance of getting established?
@Arainais, I don't think I'd do that here. Reason being pots could trap moisture and lead to rot if we had a wet season. I know some folks in warmer areas do have luck sinking pots in the ground, though. Frost movement is the concern if it doesn't have time to establish anchor roots. Soggy cold soil over the crown was what killed some of mine that first winter. They settled too much, allowing the snow melt to pond on top of them.
The reason I suggested grow bags is because they wick excess moisture away. The ones I used for seedlings and small plants were made of the same fabric that my row covers are made of. Last March, I started one dahlia in a grow bag, and one in a pot. They were the same variety, and the one in the grow bag performed much better when planted out, even though the tuber was smaller to begin with. I figured on using grow bags for storing them over the winter now, thinking it might help keep them moist, but not too wet.
I'm happy you've had good luck with Brecks, and hope it continues for you!
hawkeye_daddy said:@Arainais, you got me. I couldn't resist looking, and now I have five of them on the way too.