Handling tropicals during winter

[DHass]

Wondering how northern climates handle sub 40 degrees for tropicals

 

[Colorado]

I keep them on a big windowsill in our sunroom/addition. Calling it a sunroom is probably a bit generous

Temp dips to about 60 at night in that room during the winter. Daytime temps can be as high as 80s with the sun coming in through the window.

The type of glass also makes a difference - more modern windows allow for less IV penetration as I believe are less suitable for plants. You need crappy old windows like mine

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

I put some on windowsills. Some go under lights in the basement. I use "old fashioned" T-5 tubes in 4 lamp, 48 inch fluorescent fixtures. Modern LED systems use less than a quarter of the electricity. I run the light for 18 hours on, 6 hours off. This longer "daylight period" keeps many day-length sensitive species growing as if it were late spring or early summer. The longer light period helps make up for lower output of the T-5 compared to sunlight. You might not have to run a modern LED system 18 hours, if the output was high enough.

 

[DHass]

Im in phoenix az and only need nightime temperatur protection. Im thinkin a portable frame/plastic greehouse with a hotplate for heating. Move into place over a 8ft wide 3 tiered table, turn on heat.
Auto watering on during day once greehouse a hot plate removef.

Thoughts? Ideas?

 

[penumbra]

Plant room, tents, benches and trays, heat mats and somewhere around 42 plant lights currently and an electric bill to prove it. Most are LED, some T-5.
You have to know your plants and if you have a number of them you will have different holding areas to provide proper amount of light and heat. For instance, most of my succulents get almost no light and very little water all winter. They are in holding. My plant room never drops below 68F and has a lot of light. I use this room for propagating and growing over winter. Other plants go in good lighting but day times are shorter, water only as needed, and anything above 40F is fine but it is usually in lower 60s and high 50s.

 

[Paradox]

I have tables on my basement with 4 foot shop lights over them. The pots sit in trays to catch the excess water. I put tiles under each corner of the pots to make sure they have good drainage and the pots don't sit in the water.

I move my tropicals in around October 15 and they stay there until some time in June when temperatures are above 50F

 

[Ugo]

Hi!

In Zone 5b I use a grow tent with in/out ventilation, a full spectrum light and a humidifier with a controler.
Works perfectly for my needs, but I wouldn't add more tropicals to my collection unless its a jem...
Too bad for me as most tropicals would thrive during the summer season.
My personal opinion.. tropical are too complex if you have a big tree, better stay with native trees and keep them protected outside!

 

[Carol 83]

Mine spend their winter under lights full spectrum T8's I think. They sit in Bootstrap Farmer trays with support underneath to keep them from sitting in water.

 

[berzerkules]

I have like a 5×6 space and a decent led I keep my trash ficus under when it drops to around 50 which is fairly early up here. It actually dropped down to ~40 the other night but I wasn't really paying attention and missed the frost warning. I also start seedlings and cuttings in there because I get bored in winter. I'm looking at some heat mats with thermostats that I will probably pick up before I bring stuff inside this fall. Eventually co2 would be nice but like I said trash ficus.

 

[Paradox]

Be careful using a humidity tent. They can cause more problems than they solve.

My trees are on tables with no humidity tent at all. IMO its not necessary

 

[penumbra]

I find the tent to be very useful for those plants that are not happy just sitting on tables. Also great for isolating plants when deemed necessary. A good tent set up needs venting, circulation, proper lighting, and a carbon filter works well also. It is also useful for those using co2. Last winter I had an outbreak of mealy bug on a pink powderpuff and tropical mahogany. I had to bare root and wash them and they needed to be isolated into a perfect growing environment. The tent provide this. These plants look better than ever.
But I do agree that a grow tent can open a whole new can of worms, much like a greenhouse can. They are both tools.