All my tropical container plants are now safely stored indoors for the winter.
I have quite a large collection of warm weather plants at my farm. Because I live in a four-season region, during colder months, it’s crucial these plants move inside, where the temperature and humidity levels can be monitored and controlled. Plants that spent the summer at Skylands, my home in Maine, are brought back to Bedford for storage. Most of them are kept in one of four sizable hoop houses. It’s a tedious process to put all of them away, but a very important one that keeps all my plants in excellent condition.
Enjoy these photos.
Every year, I evaluate the needs of my plants and decide where they will be stored for the winter months. Plants grow, so they cannot always be stored in the same place. It’s a big multiple-day process.
The hoop house structures are all made from steel frames and polyethylene panels. Inside, the temperature and humidity levels are closely monitored and can be adjusted when necessary. They all have manual roll-up curtains on both sides for ventilation purposes on milder days.
All the plants from around the farm are brought to their designated houses – organized and assigned by type and care needs. I instruct the crew when it is time to start putting them inside and how long they have to get the job done. It’s important to watch the weather forecast closely for nighttime frost.
I repurpose boards and stumps from downed trees to use as shelves and risers for some of the potted plants. It’s important to make use of both horizontal and vertical space when storing. A lot of the wood comes from the old, diseased ash trees that were taken down.
Stumps of different sizes are transported to every house.
And save your back! If the stump can be rolled to its needed location, do it.
Using stumps of various heights is the best use of vertical space, so plants can be stored closer together and not be in each other’s way. Be sure to use stumps that are larger than the pot bottom.
Using moving blankets to protect the plants, and straps, these container topiaries can be safely moved by tractor. These are Australian Brush Cherry trees, Eugenia myrtifolia, also now known as Syzygium paniculatum. The Brush Cherry is an evergreen tree or shrub with shiny dark green leaves native to Australia and New Zealand. I usually display these topiaries in the courtyard behind my Winter House kitchen during summer.
This is one of my many sago palms, Cycas revoluta. Sago is a popular plant known for its feathery foliage and ease of care. This very symmetrical plant supports a crown of shiny, dark green leaves on a thick shaggy trunk that is typically about seven to eight inches in diameter, sometimes wider.
Ryan and Phurba carefully guide this potted sago palm as it is taken off the tractor and placed onto a stump.
And then the two slowly turn the potted specimen, so it is not touching the ceiling of the hoop house or any other potted plants. Plants are sensitive and if left touching could cause a defense response reducing growth. Plants can also become more easily infested with pests or diseases if left touching each other.
Move in tallest and widest plants first, from the back to the front. Phurba and Ryan also make sure the plants don’t touch the fans or heaters.
A smaller sago palm is transported by hand truck. Pete moves this very carefully, so the plant is not hurt along the way.
When storing in a greenhouse, leave just enough space for walking, watering, grooming, and feeding.
Some spaces have specially designed greenhouse tables. these work well for smaller container plants such as these agaves.
These industrial strength rubber topped tables can hold heavy containers without damaging them. They also have holes to allow water to drain easily.
I also make my own shelving out of the old boards and stumps. Use long three-inch screws to attach the stumps to the wooden boards, so they do not fall over.
These shelves are very strong and can be made to fit any length necessary.
In this small greenhouse, a table is constructed in the center and then a narrow shelf is placed on top and in between rows of potted plants for even smaller pots. Vertical space is very accommodating.
Meanwhile, Ryan tends the bird’s nest ferns, Asplenium nidus, outside. Before storing plants for the winter, it is always a good idea to groom the plants – remove dead foliage, repot if necessary, and feed.
Here, Alex carries a much shorter, wider stump round. This is good for raising wide bottomed pots.
Phurba brings in another palm. If one has room to store them, it is always a good idea to save the plastic pots from the nursery. These containers come in very handy and can be used from year to year. I remove some of the potted plants from their decorative vessels and store them in plastic.
Another tip: take note of where the greenhouse is located, how much the weather affects the structure – does it get very hot inside, does it get damp or drafty. Arrange plants to fit and check on them often.
As containers are positioned, bricks or wood shims are placed underneath for drainage.
This hoop house is nearly all filled. the most prominent here is a potted Beaucarnea recurvata, a ponytail palm – a species of plant in the family Asparagaceae, native to the states of Tamaulipas, Veracruz and San Luis Potosí in eastern Mexico. Despite its common name, it is not closely related to the true palms. In fact, it is a member of the Agave family and is actually a succulent.
All the greenhouses are checked a couple times each day to make sure the temperature remains comfortably warm inside. Too cold, plants will freeze – too hot, plants will rot. To simulate the best subtropical environment, I try to keep the temperature in this greenhouse between 50 and 85-degrees Fahrenheit with some humidity. They’ll continue to thrive here until they are brought outdoors again in spring.
If you have any outdoor plants or trees growing along trellises at your home, be sure they are well secured for the winter.
Carpinus betulus 'Fastigiata,' the columnar European hornbeam, is a medium-sized, deciduous tree. ‘Fastigiata’ means a narrow form with upright branches. This type of tree can be grown as an espalier, meaning its branches can be trained to grow flat against a wall, supported on a lattice or a framework of stakes. I have three espaliered European hornbeams planted against the stone walls of my Carriage House and Stable Office here at the farm. Last week, Pete Sherpa from my outdoor grounds crew, came up with an easy solution to reinforce them in case of any strong winds.
Here are some photos, enjoy.
I planted these espaliered hornbeams a year ago. These trees are thriving under the full sun, but winter will be here soon, and I want to be sure they can withstand any strong winds.
They are already anchored to the wall, but I want more supports just in case.
Pete gets all his supplies ready – concrete anchoring screws, a drill, the proper drill bits, and a measuring tape.
For many projects requiring wire here at the farm, I like to use copper coated wire. This is 20-gauge.
Using a measuring tape, Pete measures the distance between the trellis and the wall to determine how much wire will be needed.
Pete cuts two two-foot lengths of wire.
Pete also gets two appropriate washers and secures one on each of the anchoring screws.
Next, using the drill, Pete makes a two inch deep hole in the wall at about the center point of trellis level with one of the cross pieces.
Pete applies some pressure to ensure the drill goes in straight – the mortar can be a little tough.
Next, Pete measures a piece of bamboo to the width of the trellis.
Using a portable saw, Pete cuts the bamboo to size. Bamboo stakes can be found in a variety of sizes at garden shops or garden departments of big box stores.
After cutting, Pete trims off any bamboo splinters from the cut end of the bamboo.
Pete wraps one end of the wire around the screw under the washer.
Then he carefully secures the screw into the hole.
Here is another view showing the wire tightening under the screw and washer.
This is very secure and takes only minutes to do. Pete does this on the other side also – making sure both screws are level with each other.
Next, Pete places the bamboo stake behind the trellis at the points level with the installed screws.
He wraps the other end of the wire around the bamboo and the trellis making sure it remains at the same distance from the wall.
After doing the same on the other side, he measures the distance again to be sure it is equal on both sides.
Finally, Pete tests the tightness of the wire at both sides and that’s it. All three trellises are secured in less than an hour.
Caring for my precious potted plants means following a strict schedule, particularly at the end of the warm season.
Just before the first frost, all my sensitive tropical specimens are gathered, groomed, organized, and placed in special greenhouses where temperature and humidity levels can be closely monitored and adjusted when necessary. Six Norfolk Island Pines, Araucaria heterophylla, are too tall for the greenhouses and need a more creative solution to keep them protected during winter. The center space of my stable is the perfect location.
Enjoy these photos.
Norfolk Island Pine trees are large, evergreen conifers with a symmetrical, pyramidal shape, straight trunks, and tiered branches arranged in whorls, with bright green soft, needle-like foliage. Mine are in excellent condition, but these trees cannot thrive in cold weather below 50 degrees Fahrenheit, so they need adequate shelter for the winter.
Before the plants are stored, they’re repotted in plastic containers. This potting mix is specially formulated for outdoor container plants. Using a shovel, my gardener, Matthew Orrego, scoops the potting mix into an empty pot.
The selected new pot is filled about a third with potting soil.
Using a sharp gardening knife, Matthew cuts the bottom layer of the root ball to fit the pot and to stimulate new growth. Intentional cuts are also made along the sides of the root ball as part of the scarifying process.
Using gloved hands for good grip, Matthew carefully lifts the pine by its base and places it into the new pot. Always hold a tree at its strongest point and never by its branches.
He adds more soil to the container, so it sits as high as it was in its previous pot. He also tamps down as he fills, so there is good contact between the root ball and the new soil mix.
Once the pines are repotted, Pete Sherpa from my outdoor grounds crew uses a tractor and its bucket to transport the potted trees to my stable. He transports two at a time.
Pete drapes a moving blanket on the back of the tractor bucket to protect the pines during the short move. He also secures the trees to the bucket, so they cannot fall.
Using old unused hose sections and hose connectors at both ends, Pete created the perfect tie support for the plants. The rubber hose does not damage the trunks of the trees at all. Recycling and repurposing otherwise unusable hoses… it’s a good thing.
Inside the stable, my head gardener, Ryan McCallister, walks around the newly positioned pines and makes sure the plants are placed correctly – no plants should ever touch. This prevents any possible diseases from transferring.
My stable cats, May and Cinco, are never far from the action. They are very curious and love watching the crew at work.
From the Norfolk Island pine’s trunk, the branches grow out almost horizontally with the foliage hanging down incurved.
The bark of the Norfolk Island pine is gray-brown in color, which exfoliates in fine distinctive scales.
Ryan checks the top and adds more potting mix if necessary. The soil may have settled more during the move.
This Miracle-Gro potting mix is specially formulated for moisture control, which will protect the plant from under and over watering.
Here’s Cinco, making sure everything is done properly. My team works efficiently to ensure all the plants are moved quickly and safely. As one transports, another is ready to unload and position the potted specimens.
Ryan also adds additional food – Osmocote smart release fertilizer will feed the plants for up to six months. All my tropical plants will get fed a couple of times before they are brought out again in spring.
Next, Pete adds wood shims under all the pots to keep them balanced on the stable floor. These pots have side holes for draining; however, if a pot’s hole is at the bottom, raising it on shims will allow the water to drain better.
Pete gently lifts the potted tree one section at a time and places a shim underneath. each of these pots needs several shims.
Above the trees are grow lights, which will be turned on at night after Daylight Saving Time ends. I’m fortunate that I have a lot of indoor spaces that can help accommodate my tropical plants during the winter. These will do excellently in my stable.
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