Expert: C.L. Fornari - 9/13/2008

Question
QUESTION: I live in zone 5 and wonder if it is possible to save this annual by overwintering
it inside. This was a  pricey plant and I hate to lose it at the end of the summer. I
know it should be kept very moist. Do you have any advice for a successful
technique for doing this?  Thank you so much.

ANSWER: Blanche,
Papyrus are one of the easiest plants to overwinter indoors.  If it's in the ground, you'll want to put it in a pot a couple of weeks before a hard freeze is due - if it's already in a pot you have it made...just bring the pot indoors.  Inside, put it in a SHALLOW dish filled with about 3" of water.  While these plants can have the entire pot submerged outdoors in the summer time, when overwintering you don't want to cover the crown of the plant with water.  I keep mine in a dog dish filled with water - a medium size bowl would work as well.  Put the pot in its dish near a bright window - eastern or western exposure is perfect.  If the room is also cool - in the 60 to 65 degree range - that is also good for holding tropicals like this in a dormant state.  Next year just put it outside again once the night time temperatures are reliably above 50 degrees.

I hope this helps!
C.L.

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Someone told me that the juncus "afro" can be left outside for the winter, but I
do not want to take a chance losing it. Can I care for it the same way you
suggested with the Papyrus.. indoors? Can I place this in an indoor, unheated
sunroom?

Answer
When overwintering Juncus you don't want to keep it as wet as you do papyrus but it's still pretty easy to keep them.  Just put them in any cool, well lit place and water well every five or six days.  By cool I mean between 60 and 70 degrees during the day and about 5 degrees cooler at night. Because the plant will be resting it won't need as much water as it does in the growing season, but you don't want it to go dry either.  I water mine once a week when it's indoors but my sunroom is pretty cool.
No fertilizer until March or April!

all the best,
C.L.