Question
I have several annuals that I do not want to lose this winter.  How can I save my impatiens, Moss Rose, Silver Falls, Angelonia, Pentas, Scaevola, and Verbena?

Answer
Shirley,
You don't say where you live, but I assume that you, like me, garden where the frost will soon kill these plants. At this time of year it's hard to say goodbye to these annuals because they are looking so great right now. I too, am wishing I could extend the September garden for another month or two.

That said, it's important to be practical. Your impatiens and moss rose, as nice as they are now, are very inexpensive in the spring, yes? You can buy these plants in six-packs for $2. or less. These are not as important when we think about saving plants.

The others you mention could be saved by taking cuttings, but do you have the desire and time to take cuttings of these and do you have the bright space in a south facing window or under lights to keep them through the winter, not to mention an even brighter space to grow them on next spring before you can put them outside?  Are you willing to battle the whitefly, fungus gnats and aphids that they get indoors in the winter?

I'm an out-of-control plant person, and I am not willing to do it for plants that I can commonly buy in the garden center next spring. I'm willing to take cuttings of those things that are harder to find, just so I know that I can have them. But I'm not willing to use the electricity to have lights on scaevola, pentas, Angelonia etc because I know that the cost of those grow lights is greater than buying those plants next season, not to mention battling the bugs.

If you want to go ahead, however, you can do the following:

If these plants are in pots, cut them back by 1/2 and bring those pots indoors. Put them in a Western or Southern facing window and water when dry, but don't keep constantly moist. Don't fertilize and keep the room cool. Treat insects with insecticidal soap frequently, and water with Spinosad to treat fungus gnats.  By March the plants will look pretty pathetic, but about two months before the last frost in your area cut them back again by about 1/4 of their entire length and start fertilizing. Put them outside when there is no danger of frost.

If they aren't in pots now, take cuttings by cutting off the top 6" remove all bottom leaves leaving only four on top, and dip the cut end in rooting hormone. Put three of these in a small pot that is filled with moist seed-starting mix, water well and loosely cover with a plastic such as a dry cleaner bag. Leave them in a bright but not direct sun location and in two weeks remove the plastic - when you see signs of growth, transfer them to a southern facing window or put under grow lights for 12 hours a day. Pinch the growing tips to make them branch out, and start fertilizing in March. Plant them outside after danger of frost has passed.

So I leave it to you to decide if these are worth keeping or not - if not, take pictures now and start making a list of what you want to get again next spring!

all the best,
C.L.

www.wholelifegardening.com