Content
- Safe for the winter? How hardy is the ornamental onion?
- Most species and varieties are hardy
- There are exceptions…
- Winter hibernation - how does that work?
- Prepare for the winter
- Tips
Most ornamental species endure the winter harmless in the ground
Safe for the winter? How hardy is the ornamental onion?
You thought that the ornamental hose is always and without exception perennial? If you are not wrong. There are certain species and varieties that are vulnerable to winter, freezing outdoors.
Previous article Using 2 methods to increase the ornamental onionMost species and varieties are hardy
Usually you do not have to worry about the ornamental leek in the winter. This plant is for the most part hardy in our latitudes. The onions survive in the ground until spring and then recharge. Most representatives of this plant genus tolerate temperatures down to -20 ° C without problems.
There are exceptions…
But as everywhere in life there are exceptions in the ornamental lily and indeed those who tolerate frosty temperatures less well. This includes, for example, the well-known Schubert's ornamental leek called. These and a few less common species should be wintered.
Winter hibernation - how does that work?
You should know that:
If you have planted a frost-sensitive species in the field, you can overwinter it by digging the onion in the fall. This is much more complicated than during the wintering of a potted plant. The onions are cleaned and stored in crates of sand or wooden crates with air passage.
Prepare for the winter
After flowering, the ornamental tube retreats. The seeds are forming and the plant is gradually withering. It is dry until late autumn. You are welcome to cut it back if it is already yellow. You should stop fertilizing in the summer. Further preparation measures for the winter time are not to be considered.
Possibly. it makes sense to cover the area of the bulb on the surface of the earth, for example with brushwood. This prevents that too much moisture penetrates into the soil, which could cause the onion to rot.
Tips
Varieties that are not sufficiently hardy but tolerate frost to a certain extent (eg, 'Summer Drummer') should be planted deeper into the soil. There they are safer from frost.