Expert: Long Island Gardener - 8/29/2008

Question
I live in Georgia and I've been told that my Lantana will come back year after year, despite being an annual.  (If that's not right then the rest of my question really doesn't matter! :)  )  I have two large pots of Lantana that have grown well this summer and I'd like to transplant them to my flower beds.  When is the best time to do this and how should I go about it?

Answer
Technically, the heat-loving Lantana genus is perennial.  But it's often grown as an annual as far South as Northern Florida.  Reason being, it is not RELIABLY perennial.

Hardy -- TECHNICALLY -- to Zone 8, Lantana rarely lives up to its perennial pedigree.  Now and then, you stumble on a cultivar that lives off the bell curve.  Milder Winters help.  But as a rule, Lantana won't survive more than one brumal experience, if that.  Many perennials are like that.  Since most people attribute their failures with flowers to their own Brown thumbs, 'perennial' continues to imply in the garden what it means in the dictionary, i.e., it will live forever as long as it doesn't get too cold, you don't prune it too late, you don't over-fertilize or over-water and you don't otherwise kill it.  Unfortunately, this is Baloney.  Lantanas are easy plants to grow, as long as it's hot; these are invasive Weeds in some parts of the world.  But they decline quickly in cold temps.

Consider moving yours indoors into a pot for the Winter if you really love it -- and have the fully Sunny window it needs.  A dose of 'Messenger' (Harpin Protein) for the indoor move, and Arbuscular Mycorrhizae (Espoma) for the Summer outdoor move will shorten recovery from transplant shock.

THE LONG ISLAND GARDENER