Overwintering Gunnera

I bought a gunnera in a pot and kept in in my pond in about an inch or so of water where it didn't get much sunlight. (My pond is not in a full sun location. It didn't grow, but it didn't die. So now I want to keep it for next year. I've brought it inside, but have not situated it for the winter. Any suggestions?

Doug says that there seems to be some schools of thought that suggest overwintering Gunnera in USDA zone 5 is a matter of cutting it back and heavily mulching it. I suspect you'd be fine with this. Just remember to remove that foot of mulch first thing in the spring when it thaws out. You don't want the Gunnera starting up too early because it's so well protected.

The other school of thought suggests you dig it and bring it indoors to store it cool and damp for the winter. Dormant but stored.

If this were mine, I'd be mulching the heck out of it right about now (cut it back first) in the Chicago area. And I'd get my fingers crossed.

BTW - they sometimes don't grow too well in the first year while establishing roots. As long as that soil is good and damp all the time and reasonably fertility, it should take off.

My concern is the level of sunlight. This plant will tolerate some shade but it's mostly a plant of the full sun if you want it to really put on bulk. In very low light conditions, you may find it will struggle along - never really growing or storing much energy and then a cold year will kill it no matter how much your protect it.