Kitchen Garden Forum

I have three Agapanthus plants that I brought back from the Isles of Scilly and I know little about them. At present they are each in a Pot placed against a South West facing wall. I realise they would be better indoors during the winter but I have no room for them, what do you advise?

Barney

Won't they die down with the first frost? Couldn't you put them in a frost free place until spring when that happens?
Or maybe wrap in bubblewrap?

Forgive me if I'm wrong, but I've always thought they were hardy. And certainly the one I've had in my garden soil has survived the last five winters.
And a client of mine has about four large ornamental tubs full of the large-flowered ones, I'll ask her next week how she treats them over winter shall I ?

Hi Barney,
I live in quite a cold position and as with Wellie's comment mine are planted in the border and they survived a temperature of -16C the other year which went on for 5 days without altering. I lost an awful lot of Nursery Stock in pots (Not big decorative one's)but the Agapanthus survived well.
JB.

I collect agapanthus and some (which are planted out)are hardy but some are not. As they especially like being tight in a pot to flower well, you are more likely to lose potted specimens in a good frosty spell. I tend to put all of my potted specimens in a cold greenhouse which gives them enough protection to survive quite happily.

Those from the Scilly Isles have probably never had a frost on them so I personally would not chance it with them. As per JB's response, the ones in my border shrug off the frost but they were from Norfolk stock (which is a bit colder than many areas during winter)and were sold as hardy.

Why are so many peoples posting clocks out?

Thanks for all your advice, I have acted on Piglet’s experience and have removed one of my large cloches from the allotment and got the agapanthus in a sheltered place under cover with some hessian on top as well. The wintering lettuce on the allotment will have to lump it

Barney

Sorry, Barney, to post so late, but I only found out today that my client moves hers' to an unheated greanhouse for the winter....