In fact most of seedlings are the Western ones. But I'm gonna keep my eyes on them 😯

I bet they will be fine as long as the soil drys out before winter. Even j-trees can take lots of water in the summer, but they don't like wet roots in the winter. 😀

I should plant a 1,000 Y. brevifolias here to see if one could survive our moisture! That would be a cool test.

That would be really cool to start with a whole field of western yuccas and see if maybe a few could live, then use those for propagation. Or maybe hybridize a filamentosa with the j tree (or a few western species) and grow a field of those hybrids. Then , you could back cross the western species into the hybrids that are hardiest to get more western traits yet keep eastern cold/moisture tolerance. I wish I had a few acres of land for that experiment.

Arg! I went to California this year in May and missed the J-tree flowering by about a month. Damn. I really wanted to get some pollen for the hybridizers to mess around with.

I bet they will be fine as long as the soil drys out before winter. Even j-trees can take lots of water in the summer, but they don't like wet roots in the winter. 😀

So when should I stop watering my various seedlings or when should I start protecting them from the rain? What min night temperatures particularly?

So when should I stop watering my various seedlings or when should I start protecting them from the rain? What min night temperatures particularly?

That's going to depend on your weather/climate, it is dry here so I can't say for other places. I'm in a zone 5b and our fall is warm to cool and dry, so I stop watering bigger plants in October and small plants by November, unless it rains/snows by then. It is tricky, but you try and keep things alive and dry them up before winter. New growth is less cold hardy, and wet roots can rot a plant in the winter.

I try and let my plants see a frost or two before I cover them, I don't want them growing under the covers (unless you add heat?) So I try not to cover untill after mid Nov. or early Dec. That is what I do, but others add heat, and I know nothing about that. 😀

I should plant a 1,000 Y. brevifolias here to see if one could survive our moisture! That would be a cool test.

That would be a cool test. Have you tried one and cover the crown? 🙂

I like how you think Kate...... That would be a great project.........all we need is more land!

Let the soil surface dry between waterings Igor. I think your doing a good job!

I did mess with some JT seedlings back in 2001. They survived with a roof with no sides but died without the roof. I need to mess with JTs again.

Igor

I think once the temps are not making it into at least the 70s(21-26C)or you see growth
has slowed/stopped...good time to cut back on the watering.

Just my 2cents, I had luck with J-trees covered here too (down to -32C) but they can't handle the long wet winter uncovered. I've done the large field trials with other species (recurvfolia and gloriosa) and have selected a few gloriosa that are hardy here in zone 4/5 (so far). had no luck with recurvfolia.

If I can find a spot and the time, I'd like to experiment with large batches of other species... Right now most of the space is given over to hybrids.

Igor I think once the temps are not making it into at least the 70s(21-26C)or you see growth
has slowed/stopped...good time to cut back on the watering.

Thanks to all for empathy. Gonna try keep them outside with no precipitations protection until the beginning of October. By the way I had bad luck with growing mature Y.glauca plants (taken from ON) 5-6 times. It rot every winter....

Hi Igor,

Y. glauca rotting out? Do you have a photo of your Y. glauca? I'd try another source. They seem rock hardy here and we get loads of precipitation in winter. They are always wet!

Tim

I was thinking(in regard to the hardiness)of your post flowering Gloriosa.

When mine bloomed I remember worrying that the bloom stalk was like
having another spear to rot out....can't recall if I removed it...must have-anyway

I guess you had a bad winter too....

Hi Igor,

Y. glauca rotting out? Do you have a photo of your Y. glauca? I'd try another source. They seem rock hardy here and we get loads of precipitation in winter. They are always wet!

Yeah, I know... Perhaps, these well developed plants don't like replanting. The last one has died being brought to Kazakhstan from the Humber Nurseries (ON) this May. Of course I do not take pics of my dying plants... And now I have three variations of the Glauca seedlings. Hope it would help having them growing in my garden.

Of course I do not take pics of my dying plants

I know the feeling well, Igor.

Barb