Overwintering of Crocosmia
- Keith Funk
- Jul 30
- 1 min read
Q: I love Crocosmia ‘Lucifer’ but it doesn’t seem to want to winter over for me. What am I doing wrong?
A: Crocosmia 'Lucifer' is one of my all time favorite mid-summer blooming bulb. They love a sunny location and hummingbirds love the tall sprays of scarlet red flowers that flower for weeks. I’ve found mine over winter dependably in a spot that retains moisture throughout the winter. The dormant bulbs are inexpensive to purchase in early spring. I pot mine up into 4” pots, 3 pulbs per pot, just to get them started early. Once they are up 4”-5” tall, I transfer them out into the garden where I want them to bloom. Make sure you are planting them deep enough. The actual bulb in the pot should be at least 6” deep in the ground. The bulbs will develop into nice clumps but need to be lifted and divided about every 4 years in early spring to keep them vigorous and blooming. There a number of Crocosmia varieties on the market and I’ve found Lucifer to be the only one hardy in Zone 5.
Read our Q & As with Keith Funk answering common Colorado gardening questions here. You can also hear him on the Garden Wise Radio Show
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