DIPLADENIA ~ SIMILAR to MANDEVILLA
Dipladenia has a full shape with leaves that are fine and pointed, deeply green and slightly glossy. The flowers are trumpet shaped in hues of pink, white, yellow and red. The plants respond well to pinching as they grow, which forces out new bushier growth. Flowers attract hummingbirds and bees & are a vibrant signal to pollinators as ample suppliers of nectar. This plant requires warm temperatures for best performance. It should not go outside until nighttime temperatures remain around 65 to 70ºF.
Keep these tropical beauties indoors from Mid- September through Mid-May in a bright but indirectly light location
Pink
Red
White
Yellow
CANNAS
To store Canna Tubers for next season, cut back the foliage AFTER it has begun to turn brown, but BEFORE the first frost. They will need to be dug out and gently shaken to remove most of the soil. The tubers don't want to dry out completely so a day or two in the sun is enough before packing them away. Store the bulbs in a cool, dry place ~ in a cardboard box (NOT an air-tight container) or some other type of ventilated container. Store bulbs between 2-inch layers of sand or sawdust, coir, or vermiculite. Ensure none of the bulbs are touching each other. Keep in mind the ideal location has temperatures between 35 and 45ºF and relative humidity of about 50%.
CALLAS
To store Calla Corms for next season you will dig them after the foliage has died back but before the first frost. Dry the bulbs for about a week in a warm location, remove the old stems, brush off the loose soil, and pack in layers in slightly moist peat moss or vermiculite in a cardboard box or paper bag so they are not touching. Store at 45-55°F. Check for rotting or dehydration. If they start to shrivel, lightly moisten the packing material.
GLADIOLUS
Don’t wash gladiolus corms with water before curing; let them dry in the sun for 1 to 2 days, cut the stems down to a few inches, brush off the soil, and put in a warm (60-70°F) airy spot out of the direct sun for 3 weeks to cure. Remove any leftover dried pieces of the flower stalk and snap the old “mother” corm off from the bottom of the new corm and discard it. Take the baby cormels off too, saving only those that are the size of a quarter or larger. You can keep the cormels to raise if you want. (They need 2-4 years of growth to reach flowering size.) Gladiolus corms need a dry, cool spot, around 40-45°F. You can hang them up in the pantry in old mesh onion bags or pantyhose. If you think thrips may be a problem, soak the corms in a solution of 1 Tablespoon of Lysol to 1 gallon of water for about 6 hours in the spring, then plant right away.
PAMPAS FEATHER GRASSES
These are a Perennial Grass but are only hardy to zones 7 or above (think Florida). You can bring them inside to store in a semi-heated garage, covered to fool them into thinking it is the "off" season. Cut back the stalks to about 3" tall & water once every 10 days or so to keep the roots from drying out.
