# Cypripedium Reginae overwintering?



## Carper (Aug 18, 2010)

I potted up a 2 nose plant early last year and it rewarded me with 2 very good spikes and 4 flowers. After a recent check, the root system has taken over the whole 5 litre pot and there are easily 3 large noses already developed just under the surface. The existing foliage is just starting to break down. As this is my first time of growing these, I don't wish to lose the plant so a few answers to the following would be great.
1. Assuming I leave the plant in the pot and dry out slightly, do I need to mulch the surface.
2. Can it remain outside in the open, exposed to the winter elements and cold and wet months, without any damage or could it be overwintered in the garage. Frost free and dry but temps were -5 C last year.
3. Do I cut down the old foliage now or leave to rot down on its own.
4. Is it a good idea to bring the plant into a heated greenhouse in spring to get a better start or leave outside to grow naturally assuming I didn't kill it over the winter.

Gary
UK


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## smartie2000 (Aug 18, 2010)

if you want to leave it outside, the pot should be sunken into the ground, because the gound does not freeze as hard as the upper surface.

Also leave the old foliage to die on its own. I think, though not certain, some of the nutrients from the foliage is reabsorbed.


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## John M (Aug 18, 2010)

Do you have photos of the 4 flowers to show us? That'd be nice. 

If the plant is in a clay pot....and you sink it into the ground, the clay pot will fracture and crumble with the frost. So, be prepared to replace it when you lift the pot out. A plastic pot won't come to any harm. It must not be left out above ground if it's going to experience below freezing temps. You must therefore sink it into the ground for over the winter. Since you will lift it before the plant begins to grow, you can sink it a bit deeper than the top rim of the pot and a heavy mulch on top will go a long way in protecting it from cold harm....but, be sure to place a piece of 1/2" chicken fencing or hardware cloth over it to ensure that you keep the rodents out. It only takes one mouse to ruin a good plant.

You can also put the pot in your refridgerator. Water it and wait until it's dried out to the point of being evenly moist; but, not yet in need of another watering. Then, enclose in a plastic bag and place in the back, at the bottom of your fridge. Over the winter, you can open the bag now and then to inspect the moisture level. It does not want to be wet; but, neither does it want to dry out. After at least 4 months, you can remove it and place it in a warmer; but, still cool location with bright light. It will slowly reawaken and begin to grow.....once it gets going, it will then shoot up quickly. Resist the temptation to give it warmer temps at this point, or it will become too tall and leggy. Ideally, bright light and temps around 10*C are ideal with a rise to about 15*C to 17*C in the day will give you a sturdy, strong blooming plant. I've done this with regineae and found it to be a very reliable way of maintaining a plant over many years in a pot. Of course, during the summer months while it was in leaf, I fed my plant lightly about once a month to ensure the newly developing eyes for next years growth would set flower buds too. The flower buds are formed during the previous growing season.


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## Carper (Aug 18, 2010)

Thanks for the reply. I didn't want to disturb the pot for a few years unless I really had too. Would it be OK overwintered in the garage near a window. I have 3 pots of agapanthus that survived last year in there which were fantastic this year and they are fairly tender. I have enclosed some photos of some of the flowers that were produced, but they are not great I'm afraid.

Gary


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## John M (Aug 18, 2010)

Well, it seems that your garage does not freeze; otherwise, the Agapanthus would've died. However, that raises the question: "Is it cold enough?". It does need to get down to almost freezing, without actually freezing solid. Also, a window is not needed; in fact, it's not a good idea. When the plant is having it's cold dormancy period, it wants total darkness. Othewise, if there is light and the top of the dormant eye is close enough to the surface to sense the light, it could come out of dormancy WAY too early, if you have a warming spell during the winter. What you want to do, if you keep in a pot in the garage, is to keep it uniformly and consistently cold; but, not freezing, for 4 months, with no light during this cold treatment. If your garage gets down to just above freezing for only a week or two during the depths of winter and it's warmer for the rest of the season, that probably won't suit the plant at all. I suspect that's why your Agapanthus survived....because the super chill was for only a short period.


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## NYEric (Aug 19, 2010)

Carper said:


> I have enclosed some photos of some of the flowers that were produced, but they are not great I'm afraid.
> Gary



That's about 10,000% better than the flowers mine did not produce!  Thanx for sharing.


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## John M (Aug 19, 2010)

NYEric said:


> That's about 10,000% better than the flowers mine did not produce!  Thanx for sharing.


Oh rats, Eric. ity: Try again. It's really not a hard species to grow in a pot.


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## KyushuCalanthe (Aug 20, 2010)

Nice happy plant you got there. I can't add anything to what has been already said really, except that I wouldn't dry it out that much in winter.


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