Have you bought a foxglove plant from your trusted garden center or have you sown the plant with your own hands? Now it does not bloom and winter is approaching. What becomes of the thimble?
Is Foxglove Hardy?
Foxglove species that are native to this country (red foxglove, yellow foxglove, and large-flowered foxglove) are guaranteed to be hardy. Other well-known species such as the woolly foxglove and rust-colored foxglove are also hardy. Usually, these plants tolerate temperatures down to -18 °C (-4F) in winter.
Since it rarely comes down to lower temperatures in winter, the foxglove survives the change from winter to spring. It doesn’t matter whether it’s in the sun or in the shade. For this reason, hibernation quarters do not have to be visited.
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How to prepare the Foxglove for winter?
In autumn, the foxglove should be cut back to the ground. The cut can be omitted if the foxglove has already formed its seeds. They mature in the spring and ensure good propagation of the plant.
If you have the thimble in a bucket on the balcony or terrace, put it indoors or in a frost-free but cool place in winter to be on the safe side. This prevents its roots from freezing through and dying. Alternatively, you can wrap the pot in fleece and place it against the balcony or patio wall.
Usually biennial, less often perennial
Most foxglove species are biennial, very few are naturally perennial. Foxglove is considered a semi-perennial or herbaceous plant that can grow persistently. Rarely does it become lignified at the base as it invests too much energy in its flowers and poisonousness and in most cases dies after seed formation.
But you can give the foxglove a helping hand… So that the foxglove sprout and blooms again in the third year:
- in the 2nd year cut off the withered flower stalks
- cut before forming the seeds
- wear gloves when cutting (plant is poisonous!)
Tips
Foxglove leaves provide a valuable touch of green to the landscape over winter. Gardeners who have planted an entire bed with it won’t have to search for greenery.
