OK. I vowed I wouldn't go back into the local garden centre again this year, however, I do so and I came across a perennial called Crocosmia and couldn't resist buying three of them despite the fact they say they are only hardy to -29C. I'm in zone 3 and it gets a lot colder than that so am wondering if it would be better to plant them in the ground and put a lot of mulch over them in the fall or lift the bulbs in the fall and replant in the spring or leave them in the pots and just cut back the foliage after first frost and store them in my basement until next spring. Advice would be appreciated.

Yes, put this beauty in the ground!! Mulch and you should do fine. I believe this one is called Montbretia, Crocosmia Copper tip. We have a large patch of them!! If you do pots just toss them in the garage after you cut them back. Then just a little water a month apart.

karmahappytoes said: Yes, put this beauty in the ground!! Mulch and you should do fine. I believe this one is called Montbretia, Crocosmia Copper tip. We have a large patch of them!! If you do pots just toss them in the garage after you cut them back. Then just a little water a month apart.

Ok. Thank you. Your zone is far different than mine. I don't know if mulching will be enough protection when temps sometimes can reach -45C and for the last couple of winters there have been some short freeze/thaws in the middle of winter then plunging temps.

I just sent some Crocosmia to a friend in KS and sent this off to him when he asked
about care.

Grow crocosmia in moist but well-drained soil in full sun to partial shade. Divide congested clumps every three to five years to rejuvenate them and encourage better flowering. In colder regions you may need to mulch the corms to protect them from frost. Perennial in zones 5-9. In colder climates, you may need to lift the crocosmia corms in the fall and store them indoors over winter.

karmahappytoes said: Perennial in zones 5-9. In colder climates, you may need to lift the crocosmia corms in the fall and store them indoors over winter.

Thank you. I was wondering, since they're still in pots, if I could overwinter them in the same pots and just cut them back after the first frost.

The crocosmia you've pictured is 'Prince of Orange." It is advertised as being hardy to zone 5. As stated above, you'll need to lift and store them like tender gladiolus in your zone. If you want to keep them in pots, you must store the pots in an insulated enclosure at temperatures well above your winter lows. The general rule for hardiness of potted plants is that they need to be hardy to 1-2 zones lower than your zone. In other words, a plant hardy to zone 5 in the ground is hardy only to zone 6 or 7 (ish) in an unprotected outdoor pot.

https://www.dutchbulbs.com/pro...

NMoasis, thanks for the link. Prince of Orange has a different pattern of yellow than what we have. Guess I'll have to add that one also.

The identical photograph shows up in nursery listings for Prince of Orange.
https://www.estabrooksonline.c...
https://www.waltersgardens.com...
https://brentandbeckysbulbs.co...

NMoasis said: The general rule for hardiness of potted plants is that they need to be hardy to 1-2 zones lower than your zone. In other words, a plant hardy to zone 5 in the ground is hardy only to zone 6 or 7 (ish) in an unprotected outdoor pot.

I'm still wondering if it would be ok just to leave them in the pots over winter and, if so, do I need to water them occasionally during that period? I also see that they're recommended for dried flower arrangements. Would that be just a matter of cutting off a stem and letting it dry naturally?

Sorry, thought I answered that for you:

< If you want to keep them in pots, you must store the pots in an insulated enclosure at temperatures well above your winter lows. >

So the answer depends on where you plan to store the pots. And yes, they need minimal water. Maybe a drink once a month, but not so much that they rot.

Yes, let the stalks dry naturally. The seed pods are attractive

NMoasis said: Sorry, thought I answered that for you If you want to keep them in pots, you must store the pots in an insulated enclosure at temperatures well above your winter lows.
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Oh, yes, sorry, I guess you did. I was meaning to ask whether I should cut back the foliage and, if so, wait until a first frost to do so.

I'm not 100% positive, to tell the truth. Waiting till after frost kills them is a safe bet. I'm pretty random about it but I wait until at least late fall.

NMoasis said: I'm not 100% positive, to tell the truth. Waiting till after frost kills them is a safe bet. I'm pretty random about it but I wait until at least late fall.

Thank you. They really are quite beautiful and I'm really excited to have found them for my garden.

Mine has become invasive on coastal northwest Florida. It is in full sun and part shade also. The flowers are beautiful and last well for cut flowers. The more water it gets the more blooms for me. The corms grow downward instead of spreading to the side.