Hi garwen1979,
Thank you for your interesting question.
In order to protect your Yucca Canes, it's best to bring them inside.
Yucca cane outside - when, in zone 6b?
http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/load/tropesque/msg0409262119388.html
"I have a big yucca cane plant, complacently sitting by the window
right now (Canada, Ontario, Windsor, 6b). Can I take it outside this
spring/summer, when and in what spot full sun/semi shade? I am
thinking yucca would love it, but I don't want to do something wrong,
and kill it."
"I usually put mine outside in Zone 6A in June when all danger of
frost is gone. Since the plant will not have been "hardened" to the
outside, it should be put initially in a shelterd spot where it gets
only an hour or so of sun for the first week, then move it to a
brighter spot the next week. Dappled shade is also a good place to
start the plant. After a couple of weeks, more exposure to the sun is
fine. Remember that the plant will now require more water, and since
it will be in the path of wind, you should make sure the pot is
anchored or weighted to lessen its chance of toppling and damaging the
plant. Before you bring in the plant in the autumn, give it a thorough
spray with insecticidal soap on both sides of the leaves and the trunk
to prevent bringing little pests into the house. Expect some leaf
yellowing and loss in the house when you bring it in , since it will
need to readjust to those conditions. Keep the plant in a coolish room
with lots of light, and give it a little epsom salts (about 2
teaspoons per gallon of water) to minimize the stress fo
reintroduction into the house."
"You're probably talking about Yucca elephantipes, which grows on a
cane-like trunk. I keep mine outdoors during the summer, then bring it
inside once nighttime temps drop to between 65-70 degrees. I keep mine
in front of a western window and water infrequently (they prefer to be
drier in the winter), only when the potting mix is very dry. I keep my
house around 65 degrees in the winter."
*****
US Zone Map
http://www.gaygardener.com/zonemap.php3
Zone 6
Minimum temperatures:
-10 to 0°F = (-23 to -18°C)
Zone 6's southern latitude bestows a long growing season and milder
climate than Zone 5. It begins along the coasts of Massachusetts,
Connecticut, Rhode Island, New York, and northern New Jersey, then
extends southwest through the country's midsection to northern Texas.
In the West, Zone 6 includes parts of Arizona, New Mexico, Utah,
Nevada, Oregon, and Washington, then extends narrowly north along the
coast of Alaska. Eastern gardeners contend with humidity, while in the
West dry heat and a lack of rainfall are the gardening challenges.
*****
Zone 7
Minimum temperatures:
0 to 10°F = (-18 to -12°C)
Zone 7 is the middle ground of gardening in the United States. It
covers a Southern belt from Delaware into northern Georgia, then
continues west into southern Oklahoma and northern Texas. In the East,
ocean influences allow Zone 7 to continue north along the New Jersey
coast, Long Island, and Cape Cod. Westerly, it snakes through southern
New Mexico; bits of Arizona, Nevada and southern Utah; up the eastern
border of California, into the central mountainous regions of Oregon
and Washington; and into Alaska's Inland Passage. With lower
elevations and longer days, many plants thrive in Zone 7.
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Please keep in mind the following information is re: Australia. New
Jersey winters can be long and hard.
Yucca elepantipes
http://www.collectorscorner.com.au/Plants/Yucca%20info.htm
"Yucca?s can be grown outdoors in any climate except those where sever
frost may occur, even then if they are covered on frosty nights they
will survive. Older and well established plants can also tolerate
heavier frosts than younger plants. Best growth is achieved in full
sunlight as the shape of the base will improve, in shadier position
the plant will grow taller and thinner. Good well drained soils will
aid in growth and prevent any infections from damaging the base and
root system. Fertilise little on only occasionally, Yuccas can draw
food from very poor soils. Yuccas can be cut back to keep short, where
ever they are cut the plant will regrow new tips, this can be done
indefinitely to create a weird and unusual stem. Yuccas will do well
in pots but ill grow much slower than in the garden.
Yucca?s are very hardy indoor plants that will do well in any well lit
areas indoors or outdoors. In dark positions or if the plant becomes
light coloured with very few leaves it should be moved outdoors to
recover, if overgrown it can be repotted and tips cut back to allow
regrowth before it is moved back indoors. Indoors, the plant should
have only occasional feeding and water only when soil is dry, over
watering is the single most common killer of all indoor plants, almost
drying out the pot is essential and not allowing water to sit in the
base is also important. Many indoor plants are kept in saucers and
these saucers are allowed to retain water, it is important that this
water does not sit in the saucer in the colder months as this can
cause root rot to occur, this will kill the plant. Fertilizing should
only be done once in spring and once in summer if kept indoors. Plants
kept indoors for long periods without adequate light and exposure will
begin to weaken, to prevent this the plants should be moved outdoors
for a few weeks to recover and then brought back in. 4 weeks in and 4
weeks out is a good recipe, some keep them indoors for 6 months and
outdoors for 3 months, this also can work well. Plants moved outdoors
should be kept in a sheltered position.
An indoor environment is not the best environment for any living
plant, in nature plants do not inhabit caves, we do, therefore we must
adapt the environment to best suit the plants in order that they have
some chance of survival. To do this we must supply sunlight,
temperature variations and water, all of these are difficult as they
do not suit the climates we humans enjoy. The best locations are near
windows where sun can shine directly on the plants for some part of
the day, preferably some of the period from 10am to 4 pm. If curtains
are drawn over the period the plants will not benefit. Another
essential requirement of most plants is fresh air and exposure to
temperature variations, again near windows or in sun rooms this is
easily achieved, in other areas it can be difficult. In many countries
the general attitude to indoor plants is to keep them while they look
good and replace them once they look tired.
Yuccas are very fashionable in Mediterranean and arid gardens, the
Yucca can live throughout Australia and can survive long periods of
drought or in wet soils. If in a heavy frost areas your Yuccas can be
damaged so it must be protected or under cover in winter."
=========
Best regards,
tlspiegel |
