Q: I have nine pots of what I’m pretty sure is purple heart (wandering dude) on my apartment balcony. They came from a bed in my sister’s front yard. What’s the best approach for their cold weather care? At my sister’s, the plants turn brownish but bounce back in the spring. If I bring them inside, they would get less light. If they stay outside, would they be OK if covered at night when there’s a freeze warning? — Liz Hornsby, Peachtree City
A: I think you have purple heart, Tradescantia pallida. It’s a common ground cover in the South. The purple leaves and pink flowers are eye-catching in pots, hanging baskets and as ground cover.
When it’s planted in the ground, purple heart’s leaves will turn brown in winter when temperatures drop below freezing around them. Most of the leaves and stems will freeze, but some won’t due to the warmth of the earth. What’s important is that the roots not freeze. If they don’t, the plant will quickly regrow in spring.
Your plants in pots on the balcony will not survive winter because the roots will freeze. You will have to bring a couple of them indoors. As you suspect, they need the most light they can get. Consider buying an LED light fixture to give them supplemental light.
During winter some of the leaves will turn brown and the stems will stretch between leaves, but I predict you’ll have live plants and roots when spring rolls around. When night temperatures are above 50 degrees, you can put them on the balcony and wait for the rush of new growth. As stems longer than six inches become available, you can cut them off and root them to fill your other pots.
Q: I purchased five Christmas ferns from a local nursery to plant this fall. I placed them under a tree for a few days until I had time to plant them. Unfortunately as the sun slips further into the Southern sky, I did not notice that the sun found them. They ended up puny looking, dried out with dehydrated curled leaves. I immediately moved them to permanent shade and watered. Two days out they still look the same in the pots! What can I do at this point? — Fran Sommerville, Marietta
A: Christmas ferns are tough, but I’m not sure they’re tough enough to withstand damage like this. Still, they are tougher than most natives. I think I’d go ahead and plant them and see what happens. Alternatively, most reputable nurseries guarantee their plants for a year after purchase, no questions asked.
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