Re: Styrofoam cones for winter protection

From: Al Wootten awootten at NRAO.EDU> on 1999.09.13 at 15:46:20(3646) Lester Kallus writes: > Thanks, all, for the response. I'll check a couple garden centers but although I live in 7a and although it does get downright chilly around here, I can say that I've never seen anything even remotely like what's been described at any of the stores here on Long Island. > > Perhaps with sufficient nagging, I can change that. > > The next question is: will these truly work to help borderline hardy material survive the winter? Although Colocasia esculenta and Alocasia macrorrhiza have been reported to be hardy around here, I've see nearly all of them turn into compost (except the couple that were planted adjacent to my previously heat-leaking house. I was hoping to leave some of that material in the ground to cut down on both the fall work of bringing everything in and the spring work of replanting. I've also read that Colocasia antiquorum *should* be hardy here (but also turns into compost). I do have sandy soil and the compost isn't a terrible addition, but I can think of cheaper sources for the organic material. I have both Colocasia esculenta and Alocasia macrorrhiza at my house. This is within 200 feet of the Rappahannock River at its confluence with the Chesapeake Bay, so the winters are very moderate--oleander survives most winters without dieback. The soil is sandy. I've found that although the Colocasia survives, mostly it seems to be buds on the sides of the larger corm which return the following year--the larger corm usually turns pretty much to mush. Alocasia vanished entirely last year but I have a few very small bits of it beginning to come back. I won't leave either one out for a second winter; the Alocasia would, I feel, not survive a second winter. Various Calla lilies seem to overwinter very nicely (ditto Canna). Clear skies, Al +More +---------------------------------------------------------+ |Al Wootten, Slacktide, Sturgeon Creek at the Rappahannock| |Astronomer (http://www.cv.nrao.edu/~awootten/) | |genealogy homepage http://members.tripod.com/~astral | |Deltaville, Virginia (804)776-6369 | +---------------------------------------------------------+

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