As a traditional plant in the cottage garden, the girl's eye is particularly known for its orange-yellow flowers, but there is now a we alth of flower colors and shapes available from specialist retailers. Not all subspecies of the so-called beautiful faces are hardy without any problems, but some help can be given here.
Is the girl's eye hardy?
Are girls' eyes hardy? Some varieties of the genus Coreopsis, also known as girl's eyes, are hardy and can overwinter in the garden at temperatures of -12 to -20 degrees Celsius. Protective measures such as leaves, piled up soil or bark mulch can protect the plants from the cold. Potted plants also require a fleece and a polystyrene plate.
Overwintering girls' eyes in the open field
Even short-lived subspecies of the genus Coreopsis can sometimes be encouraged to sprout again in spring in mild locations such as wine-growing climates if their herb is cut back to just above the ground immediately after flowering. Longer-lived varieties can be overwintered directly in the bed, but some can only tolerate sub-zero temperatures in the range of -12 to -20 degrees Celsius. Therefore, after pruning in the fall, they should be covered with a protective layer, which can consist of the following materials:
- Leaves
- piled up earth
- Bark mulch
- pine needles
Some gardeners prefer to cut back in spring and leave the wilted leaves over the winter as a protective layer over the roots of the plants.
Overwintering the beautiful faces in the pot
All potted plants are generally exposed to even colder temperatures when overwintering outdoors, as the insulating effect of the soil substrate can only be effective to a limited extent. That's why girls' eyes in the pot should not only be covered with leaves or another layer of mulch, but if possible also wrapped with a protective fleece (€72.00 on Amazon) and placed in a south-facing position next to a house wall. In addition, a polystyrene plate placed between the floor and the planter protects against the cold attacking from below.
Water overwintering plants sufficiently
For both outdoor and potted specimens of the girl's eye, it is important to ensure that, in addition to temperature protection in winter, there is also a sufficient supply of water. Therefore, in winters with clear frosts, you should water the plants moderately on frost-free days. After all, drought damage poses a far greater threat to many plant species in winter than the actual freezing of the plants. A layer of mulch over the bed also proves to be practical in this respect, as the soil is less likely to dry out due to wind and sun in winter.
Tip
Even perennial and winter-hardy species of girl's eye do not have an open lifespan, but can become old after four or five years. To prevent this, it is recommended to carefully dig up long-lived varieties in the same location after about three years and propagate them by division.