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A Homes & Gardens gardening report advises lifting or moving six tender summer plants before the first hard frost, then storing each according to its needs. It covers tuberose, pineapple lily, calla lily, agapanthus, tropical water lily and a sixth plant whose name and instructions are missing from the supplied source excerpt.
Homes & Gardens has published autumn guidance advising gardeners to lift or move tender summer plants before their first hard frost, then store them according to whether they are dormant bulbs, rhizomes or evergreen plants. The report names several plants, including tuberose, pineapple lily, calla lily, agapanthus and tropical water lily; the supplied excerpt cuts off before the full sixth-plant instructions.
The report says timing depends on local frost dates, location and winter soil drainage, rather than a single date that applies everywhere. Tender plants can be damaged by freezing, while bulbs and rhizomes left in soggy conditions may rot. The advice is to prepare breathable bags, labels and shallow trays before digging, and to let lifted material dry as directed before storage.
For tuberose (Agave amica, formerly Polianthes tuberosa), the report recommends waiting for foliage to yellow, lifting bulbs gently, drying them in a warm, airy place and storing them in a paper bag or ventilated tray that stays cool and frost-free. Pineapple lily bulbs should be lifted after foliage dies back in colder areas, dried and kept frost-free; potted plants can be brought under cover, with waterlogged compost avoided.
Calla lily rhizomes should be lifted or removed from pots after flowering and as foliage yellows, then dried and stored in a cool, dry, frost-free place. The report says deciduous agapanthus can be cut back after foliage dies and stored cool and frost-free, while evergreen types need a bright, sheltered location and sparse watering. Tropical water lilies must be brought indoors in cold climates, unlike hardy water lilies, which can often remain in a pond. The excerpt ends mid-instruction and does not identify the sixth plant or provide its storage guidance.
Protecting Plants From Frost and Rot
The advice matters to gardeners who want to keep tender plants for another growing season rather than replace them after winter damage. Moving plants before a hard freeze can protect frost-sensitive bulbs and rhizomes, while choosing dry, ventilated storage can reduce the risk of rot. The report describes a practical, seasonal task, not a guarantee that stored plants will produce a stronger display next year.
Its main point is that one storage method will not suit every plant. Dormant bulbs and rhizomes generally need cool, dry, frost-free conditions; evergreen plants may need light and occasional water. Treating both groups alike could expose a plant to the wrong balance of cold, moisture and light.
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Storage Depends on Plant and Climate
The report frames the work around the approach of each gardener’s first hard frost, which varies by location and year. It also distinguishes plants by type and growing conditions. Pineapple lilies are described as generally suited to USDA Zones 7–10, while calla lilies may remain outside in milder areas, generally Zone 8 and warmer, when soil drains freely and prolonged freezes are absent.
Those zone references are guidance, not a substitute for checking a plant label or local conditions. The report says agapanthus care varies by variety: deciduous and evergreen types require different winter arrangements. It also distinguishes tropical water lilies from hardy water lilies, warning that the former cannot tolerate freezing temperatures while the latter can often stay in the pond.
““Your location, first-frost date, and winter soil drainage all matter.””
— Homes & Gardens report
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The Sixth Plant Is Missing
The supplied report excerpt identifies five plants and begins instructions for tropical water lilies, but it cuts off mid-sentence. Although the headline promises six plants, the excerpt does not show the sixth plant’s name or its full care instructions. It is also not possible from the material provided to establish a single frost date or storage schedule for all readers; both depend on local climate, plant variety and growing conditions.
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Check Frost Dates and Plant Labels
Gardeners should check their local frost forecast and each plant’s label, then move or lift tender plants before freezing conditions arrive. The report recommends drying bulbs and rhizomes before storage, using breathable containers, and checking stored roots and pots at least monthly for signs of rot or shriveling. Evergreen plants should be kept bright and sheltered where required, with restrained watering.
Further detail on the missing sixth plant cannot be reported from the supplied excerpt. The next useful step for readers seeking the complete six-plant list is to consult the full Homes & Gardens report and verify instructions against their own plant type and local conditions.
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Key Questions
When should I lift tender plants?
Lift or move them before your first hard frost. The date varies by location, so check the local forecast rather than relying on a fixed calendar date.
How should lifted bulbs and rhizomes be stored?
Follow the plant-specific instructions. The report generally recommends letting lifted material dry, then keeping dormant bulbs or rhizomes in a cool, dry, frost-free place with ventilation. Check them during winter for rot or shriveling.
Can calla lilies stay outdoors over winter?
The report says they may remain outdoors in milder regions, generally USDA Zone 8 and warmer, if the soil drains freely and winters do not bring prolonged freezes. In colder conditions, lift the rhizomes or shelter the pot.
Do all water lilies need to be brought indoors?
No. The report says tropical water lilies cannot tolerate freezing temperatures and need indoor protection in cold climates. Hardy water lilies are a different group and can often remain in the pond.
What is the sixth plant in the report?
The supplied excerpt does not identify it. The text stops during the tropical water lily instructions, so the sixth plant and its care directions remain unavailable in the material provided.
Source: rss
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