Probably every summer resident knows that dahlias and gladioli need to be dug up for the winter.
What about other plants? The list of flowers that require autumn digging includes tuberous begonias, ranunculus, acidanthera, tigridia, ismene, leucocoryne, crinum, amaryllis, belladonna, crocosmia, freesia, ixia…
And this is far from a complete list; it could go on and on.
It is clear that it is quite problematic to analyze the nuances of each flower separately, so the expert of the online publication BelNovosti, scientist-agronomist, landscape designer Anastasia Kovrizhnykh shared the intricacies of caring for the most common flowers that are supposed to be sent for storage for the winter.
Tuberous begonias
By the end of the season, these plants form good tubers that are resistant to long-term storage.
To dig up begonias according to the rules, with the onset of autumn, gradually stop watering the flowers and wait until the above-ground part withers and the leaves fall over.
After you remove the begonia from the ground, separate the tuber from the stem, clean it and place it in a sand-filled bag with holes punched in it for ventilation.
Begonias should be stored in a cold place - in a refrigerator, if there is space for this purpose, or in a basement.
Montbretia or Crocosmia
If you are sure that the winter will not be too severe, you can leave the montbretia for the winter in the open ground, prudently sprinkling it with fallen leaves, dry peat, and in winter, even snow.
For your own peace of mind, it is better to dig up small crocosmia bulbs and leave them in the refrigerator for the winter.
Calla lilies
Some varieties of this flower have tubers. If you have just such a plant, dig the tubers out of the ground, dry them, trim the roots and the above-ground part of the shoot and put it in a bag. There should be slightly moistened peat inside the bag (you can use sand).
Store tubers in a refrigerator, basement or cellar at a temperature of approximately +10 degrees.
Spray the tubers from time to time with a spray bottle to prevent them from drying out.
Expert: Anastasia Kovrizhnykh
