cold weather - plants outside?

From: Lester Kallus lkallus at earthlink.net> on 2001.05.24 at 22:57:14(6557) It's already getting to be late in the growing season, but temperatures on Long Island are reminiscent of the ice age. I expect to see glaciers developing at any time. Night time temperatures over the next 2 weeks will continue to be in the 50s. Day time temperatures won't break 70 until more than a week from now. Can any of the following aroids tolerate being outside without degenerating - I'll even settle for stagnation. I'm just trying to get my greenhouse emptied so that some work can be done on it. Here's the list: +More Alocasia micholitziana Alocasia lowii Alocasia cuprea Alocasia "Blackie" Alocasia sanderiana Alocasia reversa Alocasia "Hilo Beauty" Alocasia longiloba magnifica Anthurium crystalinum Anthrurium clarinervium Anthurium andreanum Anthurium "Crystal Hope" Xanthosoma braziliensis (or some minor variation of that species name) Xanthosoma variegata "Albo striata lutea" Will any of the above be damaged by nights in the lower 50s if they don't warm up much during the day? Les

From: Cgdz33a at aol.com on 2001.05.25 at 03:29:10(6559) Ive had several Alocasia's out in Nassau county for nearly 2 weeks now including "Blackie" and longiloba. My Anthuriums are also out. Eric C. Morgan +More Clark Botanic Garden Albertson, NY

From: "mjhatfield" mjhatfield at oneota.org> on 2001.05.25 at 03:29:47(6560) Les, I don't know about the cold tolerance of the species on your list but I got the last of my plants outside last week (May 15th being the last "possible" frost date) only to have the same cold move in that you are getting. Some species (Anchomanes, Costus, Amorphs) definitely do not like it, their leaves are limp and "look" frosted. The plants are all indoors again. It was enough to make me reconsider my plans to move further north upon retirement. MJ Hatfield

From: "Ron Iles" roniles at eircom.net> on 2001.05.25 at 03:30:00(6561) Here we are folks! Spathiphyllum might have survived but your plants, A, andreanum and a few might not cry too much but Lester, for THEIR sakes, pray the others don't get a chill wind as well. If there's no nasty bright sun, (especially at night), put styrofoam under pots and cover with horticultural fleece or fine netting. You'll soon have your own answer! You could always migrate to Southern Ireland. 2.00 am 62F, daytime 75F plus here today! +More Support the World Jungle Clearing Programmes to make the World hotter! Cheers Ron (Monty Python Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Arums). ----- Original Message ----- To: "Multiple recipients of list AROID-L" Sent: Thursday, May 24, 2001 11:57 PM Subject: cold weather - plants outside? | It's already getting to be late in the growing season, but temperatures on | Long Island are reminiscent of the ice age. I expect to see glaciers | developing at any time. | | Night time temperatures over the next 2 weeks will continue to be in the | 50s. Day time temperatures won't break 70 until more than a week from now. | | Can any of the following aroids tolerate being outside without degenerating | - I'll even settle for stagnation. I'm just trying to get my greenhouse | emptied so that some work can be done on it. | | Here's the list: | | Alocasia micholitziana | Alocasia lowii | Alocasia cuprea | Alocasia "Blackie" | Alocasia sanderiana | Alocasia reversa | Alocasia "Hilo Beauty" | Alocasia longiloba magnifica | Anthurium crystalinum | Anthrurium clarinervium | Anthurium andreanum | Anthurium "Crystal Hope" | Xanthosoma braziliensis (or some minor variation of that species name) | Xanthosoma variegata "Albo striata lutea" | | Will any of the above be damaged by nights in the lower 50s if they don't | warm up much during the day? | | Les | |

From: Dan Levin levin at pixar.com> on 2001.05.25 at 15:01:57(6563) Les, I've done this same plant eviction maneuver with my mixed collection here in the San Francisco bay area, enduring similar temperature ranges. I've done it three different times over the past 20 years and have experienced varying success rates, depending upon variables both within and beyond my control. Assuming your plants have been maintained in a warm/heated environment with minimum night temps greater than 60? F or so, I offer the following advice: 1) Do NOT subject your Alocasia collection to chilling if at all possible. While 2-3 weeks of the low 50's at night probably won't kill them, what's likely is that most will go dormant and then you'll be looking at empty pots and/or leafless, slowly decaying rhizomes over the next few months- perhaps even longer. I can't speak for other growers, but in my experience the difference between "stagnation" and "degeneration" in Alocasia is too close a margin and not worth risking if you have some other alternative. e.g.: How about bringing all the plants indoors to your heated bathroom for 2-3 weeks? Consider photographing the end result for a "Better Homes & Gardens" cover. 2) Your Xanthosomas are likely to stagnate or go dormant but will resprout much faster than their Alocasian brethren, once warmth & humidity return (I'm assuming your 2 plants are post-seedling & have substantial rhizomes). If there's no extra space left in your bath for these, then at least keep them dry while camping out. 3) I bet the Anthuriums will do fine outside, but also keep them on the drier side during the course of events in order to discourage mold and/or fungal escapades... many of those organisms love to philander in the moist mid-60's (this may be true for humans too, but I'm not certain). 4) Lastly, if time allows you might consider drenching the banished with a product called Pro-TeKt by Dyna-Gro a few days before eviction (I know, I know... we're venturing back into the realm of Superthrive & other snake oils). All I can say is: I've used it in the past. It hasn't hurt, and it may actually bolster those tiny vascular systems as advertised, hence minimizing environmental stress. --- +More Hope this provides some insight. I've still got my "elephant graveyard" of old plant tags lying around to remind me of the ones that didn't survive my great botanical equivalents of Outward Bound. Best of luck with your greenhouse maintenance, -Dan Lester Kallus wrote: > It's already getting to be late in the growing season, but temperatures on > Long Island are reminiscent of the ice age. I expect to see glaciers > developing at any time. > > Night time temperatures over the next 2 weeks will continue to be in the > 50s. Day time temperatures won't break 70 until more than a week from now. > > Can any of the following aroids tolerate being outside without degenerating > - I'll even settle for stagnation. I'm just trying to get my greenhouse > emptied so that some work can be done on it. > >

From: "Julius Boos" ju-bo at email.msn.com> on 2001.05.25 at 15:02:21(6564) Dear Les, I would NOT have much hope for ay of the plants you list if you expose them to temp`s in the 50`s!!! Move to Florida. Julius +More >>It's already getting to be late in the growing season, but temperatures on Long Island are reminiscent of the ice age. I expect to see glaciers developing at any time. Night time temperatures over the next 2 weeks will continue to be in the 50s. Day time temperatures won't break 70 until more than a week from now. Can any of the following aroids tolerate being outside without degenerating - I'll even settle for stagnation. I'm just trying to get my greenhouse emptied so that some work can be done on it. Here's the list: Alocasia micholitziana Alocasia lowii Alocasia cuprea Alocasia "Blackie" Alocasia sanderiana Alocasia reversa Alocasia "Hilo Beauty" Alocasia longiloba magnifica Anthurium crystalinum Anthrurium clarinervium Anthurium andreanum Anthurium "Crystal Hope" Xanthosoma braziliensis (or some minor variation of that species name) Xanthosoma variegata "Albo striata lutea" Will any of the above be damaged by nights in the lower 50s if they don't warm up much during the day? Les

From: magrysbo at shu.edu on 2001.05.26 at 06:06:57(6570) Colocasia 'Black Stem' and 'Black Magic' outside. Zantedeschias pushing through the soil.

Note: this is a very old post, so no reply function is available.