Season Change Questions

[mroth]

The seasons have finally changed here in NE Montana and I brought my tropicals ( a BRT and a ficus) inside about a week ago as we were headed towards consistently cooler weather. I expect they will go through a transition period for a while as they adjust to being inside for the winter and will drop some leaves and such in the process. I do have grow lights for them for the winter and keep them in a south facing window as well but as I have only had my babies since February I still learning and would love advice on winter care for them.

Secondly, I also have a dwarf pomegranate. We hit hard freeze a couple nights ago so I brought it inside. What is the best way to winter over a pomegranate. I think my tree may be confused as it is currently budding out. From what I understand, it should drop it's leaves in the fall? I am worried that the buds are too heavy for the branches currently, Should I be trimming them off?

I appreciate any and all advice.

 

[Paradox]

@mroth
I can only comment on the BRT and ficus as I also keep those.

Just to give you an idea of how I care for them in case you have some questions:

I have mine on tables in my basement under full spectrum shop lights. They get about 15 hours of light per day under those lights. I have to water them every day to every other day depending on their growth at the time. They usually stop growing for about 2 months from late January to early March. I feed them once a week with miracle grow diluted to half strength.

I bring them inside usually around mid October. I moved them a week early this year because temperatures at night were going to start dropping into the 40s. I bring them back out in June when temperatures are reliability over 50.

 

[Tums]

From the pomegranate's perspective, it might have filled all its winter chill requirements and now thinks that it's spring, so new growth sounds good to me. I think it's up to you whether you cut the flower buds off or not.

 

[mroth]

@mroth
I can only comment on the BRT and ficus as I also keep those.

Just to give you an idea of how I care for them in case you have some questions:

I have mine on tables in my basement under full spectrum shop lights. They get about 15 hours of light per day under those lights. I have to water them every day to every other day depending on their growth at the time. They usually stop growing for about 2 months from late January to early March. I feed them once a week with miracle grow diluted to half strength.

I bring them inside usually around mid October. I moved them a week early this year because temperatures at night were going to start dropping into the 40s. I bring them back out in June when temperatures are reliability over 50.

Very helpful, thank you.

 

[BobbyLane]

Pommys are deciduous and need to go dormant over winter. so an unheated room or greenhouse

 

[mroth]

Pommys are deciduous and need to go dormant over winter. so an unheated room or greenhouse

How much light does it need through the winter?

 

[penumbra]

I have a pom I have been keeping as a tropical plant for at least 8 years and I believe longer. It has never been dormant. I'm not sure that is the best thing for it, I'm just saying. From what I have been reading lately, it may crave dormancy but it has not had the opportunity. I have been keeping it under lights because I don't have access to a cool room and it is unlikely to survive outside in my climate.

 

[Cmd5235]

I have a pom I have been keeping as a tropical plant for at least 8 years and I believe longer. It has never been dormant. I'm not sure that is the best thing for it, I'm just saying. From what I have been reading lately, it may crave dormancy but it has not had the opportunity. I have been keeping it under lights because I don't have access to a cool room and it is unlikely to survive outside in my climate.

I’m in the same boat as @penumbra . My dwarf pomegranate has been grown as a straight tropical for a decade now. I also do not (yet) have a cold room, and it would certainly die in the winter temps here in Pennsylvania.

 

[BobbyLane]

Thats interesting. I have one thats been outside in a grow bed a few years and does fine in my climate. theyre known for all season interest and produce great winter images. so you guys have never wanted to see yours without leaves?

 

[penumbra]

Thats interesting. I have one thats been outside in a grow bed a few years and does fine in my climate. theyre known for all season interest and produce great winter images. so you guys have never wanted to see yours without leaves?

I have never wanted to see mine dead. It will not survive here but some varieties will survive outside about 100 miles south of here and perhaps even to the east.

 

[mroth]

I’m in the same boat as @penumbra . My dwarf pomegranate has been grown as a straight tropical for a decade now. I also do not (yet) have a cold room, and it would certainly die in the winter temps here in Pennsylvania.

How often are you feeding through the winter?

 

[penumbra]

How often are you feeding through the winter?

Just a little foliar feeding about once a month.

 

[BobbyLane]

I have never wanted to see mine dead. It will not survive here but some varieties will survive outside about 100 miles south of here and perhaps even to the east.

ah I see, it wouldnt survive outdoors in your climate. It wouldnt survive in a garage or greenhouse either? I know you guys across the pond put everything in garages over winter usually.

 

[penumbra]

ah I see, it wouldnt survive outdoors in your climate. It wouldnt survive in a garage or greenhouse either? I know you guys across the pond put everything in garages over winter usually.

I don't do the garage thing and wouldn't even if I had a garage. No greenhouse either.

 

[BobbyLane]

I don't do the garage thing and wouldn't even if I had a garage. No greenhouse either.

good for you mate, as long as your plants are happy thats all that matters eh.

 

[Paradox]

good for you mate, as long as your plants are happy thats all that matters eh.

Did you see all the pictures of his tropicals inside his house for the winter

 

[Carol 83]

I keep my pom's inside over the winter. They do fine and even bloom. They would never make it through my winters outside.

 

[Ininaatigoons]

Temperature is pretty straight forward. Regular pomegranate can handle at least 32 and I have done mine to 26. Last year I brought it inside at that temp. This year I'll garage it for a bit. Dwarf forms are not as hardy and must be brought in around the 40 degree mark. Another interesting generalization though by no means an absolute rule is that potted plants are a zone or 2 less hardy. So if a Pomegranate is hardy to zone 8 your safe bet is to never ket it drop below 30 or so. Check out what Brent has to say about pomegranate dormancy on his website.
As for the really for real tropical trees 45 or even 50 is a minimum.

 

[penumbra]

Recently purchased a variety called Emperor that is supposedly hardy to zone 6. I have serious reservations about this and am not willing to try it.

 

[Ininaatigoons]

Zone 6 is -10 so zone 8 is 10 degrees would be 2 zones warmer... huh. There goes that idea. Safer to stay with the 40 degrees for dwarf poms I guess.