Mixed Ixia

LucyGoose · Post by **LucyGoose** » Jan 10, 2008 1:40 am

I am not sure where to put this one, but can you tell me about this one? It is offered in a fund raiser for one of my grandkids...is it hardy here and is it a re-seeder or anything....just tell me what you know..

Thanks!!

Post by **Chris_W** » Jan 10, 2008 1:59 am

I just looked it up real quick, and it probably isn't hardy. Looks like about zone 7 hardy, but you might be able to dig them?

fullofit · Post by **fullofit** » Jan 10, 2008 10:59 am

I checked it out too, and it looks really pretty, but is grown only where the ground doesn't freeze, where they have a wet winter. It is not a bulb but a corm (like glads). And glads have to come out in the winter. So while it is probably a good fund raiser for the school, it would have to be used as a house plant.

LucyGoose · Post by **LucyGoose** » Jan 10, 2008 11:08 am

Hi Char!

Yea, it seems that most that they are offering are not hardy....I think I will have to go with the Star Gazers, or they are offering Hardy Glads, too.....I think I read that they aren't THAT hardy....I don't know....Nice picture!!

party_music50 · Post by **party_music50** » Jan 11, 2008 5:39 pm

I gave Ixia a try here once, in a well-draining spot near the house. It didn't survive the winter.

I'd give it a try again, but I'd do it like I do Oxalis: originally planted in a pot and growing, remove from pot and plant directly in ground after last frost. It grows in-ground all summer. Just before we get a frost, I dig the entire clump and repot it and bring indoors. It grows indoors for awhile, then goes completely dormant (it's almost gone now). I water sparingly all winter, and keep it at normal house temp with my other plants. In spring, it miraculously knows when to start growing again! Then I remove from the pot and plant in-ground. Repeat.

Something about Ixia makes me think that this procedure might work -- and be worth the small trouble.

FWIW: ordinary gladiolas will survive most winters here. Tiny bulbils grow everywhere because I like to move my glads around each year.

LucyGoose · Post by **LucyGoose** » Jan 11, 2008 6:38 pm

How did I miss you Chris....

Thanks for the suggestion....I did already order the Glads, and Stargazers....I did like that with my Iron Cross Oxalis in a pot.....I can always add them to my order, I guess...They are pretty.

Thanks everyone!!