I have managed and believe me we get some serious snow here. Mine are in well drained south facing soil that has a mass of well rotted horse manure in it. They are also fairly densely packed in with a mass of other perennials.
I cut them right back about end September/October and then they'll have a load of well rotted horse manure thrown over them to act as a mulch.
Fingers crossed they'll be back again in the spring.
I take a similar approach to Verdun with Blackadder and find it one of the easier ones to overwinter. I also find I get more robust growth and more flowers on poor soil and good drainage is essential to overwinter. I'm on clay so tend to loose mine in a wet winter despite lots of added grit but always find seedlings popping up the following summer. I take cuttings around now too which disappear over winter and take quite a while to come back in the spring, I don't think I saw anything popping up until well into may this year, but last years cuttings are in glorious flower now Good luck
Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit. Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
I got some seeds from the RHS and the only ones that were successful were the agastaches. I planted them out here, there and everywhere and the ones that shone the best were the ones by the privet hedge in really quite horridly dry and clayey soil. I've not taken them through winter yet but there are what look like seedlings from them nearby already (unless they're nettles but a test scratch and sniff will tell me!) so I'm hopeful that I'll see some next year but as a backup I thought I'd collect seed and do it all again next year.
Thanks all.Lots of info there.Seems as if dry,poor soil and lots of sun are key.I'm on Derbyshire sandstone so that should be ok but if I get it through the winter,will move to a sunnier spot.It's a lovely plant and one I've only recently discovered.I just wish I had taken cuttings a month ago.It's a bit late now but I'll have a go although I'm running out of space on the windowsills!
Hi Verdun, You must have spotted me running up the garden in my dressing gown and slippers! Taken the cuttings and they are now on the window sill.Sat back down at the computer and was puzzled by quiet buzzing from behind me.Jumped up throwing dressing gown on the floor and carefully investigated to fine large bee had hitched an early morning ride.Surprised they are already up,it's very damp here.
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I have managed and believe me we get some serious snow here. Mine are in well drained south facing soil that has a mass of well rotted horse manure in it. They are also fairly densely packed in with a mass of other perennials.
I cut them right back about end September/October and then they'll have a load of well rotted horse manure thrown over them to act as a mulch.
Fingers crossed they'll be back again in the spring.
What a glorious combination of colours Northernlass and thanks for the advice.I'll definitely try the manure mulch.
I take a similar approach to Verdun with Blackadder and find it one of the easier ones to overwinter. I also find I get more robust growth and more flowers on poor soil and good drainage is essential to overwinter.
I'm on clay so tend to loose mine in a wet winter despite lots of added grit but always find seedlings popping up the following summer. I take cuttings around now too which disappear over winter and take quite a while to come back in the spring, I don't think I saw anything popping up until well into may this year, but last years cuttings are in glorious flower now
Good luck
Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
I got some seeds from the RHS and the only ones that were successful were the agastaches. I planted them out here, there and everywhere and the ones that shone the best were the ones by the privet hedge in really quite horridly dry and clayey soil. I've not taken them through winter yet but there are what look like seedlings from them nearby already (unless they're nettles but a test scratch and sniff will tell me!) so I'm hopeful that I'll see some next year but as a backup I thought I'd collect seed and do it all again next year.
Thanks all.Lots of info there.Seems as if dry,poor soil and lots of sun are key.I'm on Derbyshire sandstone so that should be ok but if I get it through the winter,will move to a sunnier spot.It's a lovely plant and one I've only recently discovered.I just wish I had taken cuttings a month ago.It's a bit late now but I'll have a go although I'm running out of space on the windowsills!
Hi Verdun, You must have spotted me running up the garden in my dressing gown and slippers! Taken the cuttings and they are now on the window sill.Sat back down at the computer and was puzzled by quiet buzzing from behind me.Jumped up throwing dressing gown on the floor and carefully investigated to fine large bee had hitched an early morning ride.Surprised they are already up,it's very damp here.