I tried Cuphea "David Verity" this year for the first time and I have become a big fan of it. The hummers love them and mine grew into big 2 - 3 foot bushes. I planted 10 but only 1 in a pot. Can someone give me some advice on over-wintering this? I have coolish but not very bright sunroom or the basement under grow lights, as options. Also, when should I start cuttings? Now or wait for early spring?







Wilmington, Delaware
USDA zone 7a
Heat zone 6
Sunset zone 32

Ron
Mine is inside in front of the west facing French doors where it spends each winter. It gets light but not a lot of sun until later in the year as the days start to lengthen again. It does fine under these less than perfect conditions until I can move it back out in the spring. I find that cuttings do best for me in late summer or as the days start to lengthen. Winter cuttings for me don't do as well because the plant isn't gtrowing as actively. Once it starts growing actively again the cuttings root quicker. If you take cuttings now since you are a zone warmer than me they may root quickly. I tood a few cuttings about 3 or 4 weeks ago and they are already rooted and potted up. We got frosted last night and are under a frost advisory until mid morning so I am still not sure what survived. If my inground DV didn't get hit I may try and get a couple more cuttings. If not I still have the larger plant inside. I think everything out back is toast but only areas out front may have been affected.

Penny
Niagara Falls, NY
USDA zone 6a/6b
Heat zone 4
Sunset zone 39

Do you have any problem with pests when you bring it inside? How do you deal with them? I have found insecticidal soap works better than neem oil, on most of my plants.

I still have a ton of plants to bring inside!

Wilmington, Delaware
USDA zone 7a
Heat zone 6
Sunset zone 32

Ron
In the past I have had a problem from time to time with white fly on cupheas and some salvias.. The salvia greggiis don't seem to be bothered as much by white fly This year I was extra careful to hose plants off and check leaf axels and undersides and even disturb the potting mixe and replace it if necessary. So far so good no white fly. I have also used safer soap effectively when necessary. Last night i moved a few plants onto the screened porch because I didn't have time to hose them off as the temps dropped pretty fast. Today it will warm up to about 50 so I will move them back out to an open area, where I can check them for bugs, hose them down and replace some soil if necessary then put them back on the porch at least for a couple of days before they come inside.

Penny
Niagara Falls, NY
USDA zone 6a/6b
Heat zone 4
Sunset zone 39