Wintering potted plants: How to proceed correctly

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Which plants can be overwintered in a pot and when should they move to their wintering grounds? Here you can find out everything about the wintering of potted plants.

For many people, potted plants in the garden offer the opportunity to cultivate exotic or Mediterranean plants. However, our cold winters cause many plant problems. Read here which places are suitable for winter quarters and how to take care of potted plants during their winter rest.

Tub Plants Hibernate: Which Plants Have Which Requirements?

Potted plants to be overwintered can be roughly divided into three groups: Evergreen plants, deciduous plants, and exotic plants, whereby the latter can usually also be seen as evergreen plants.

On the one hand, they make different demands on the temperature and light conditions in their winter quarters. On the other hand, various problems can arise if the location is not chosen appropriately.

Among the evergreen plants are for example myrtle plants (Myrtaceae) like the cylinder cleaner (Callistemon) or dog poison plants (Apocynaceae) like the star jasmine (Trachelospermum jasminoides). They depend on a lot of light and yet low temperatures during their hibernation.

Evening primrose plants (Onagraceae) such as the fuchsia (Fuchsia) or nightshade plants (Solanaceae) such as the angel trumpet (Brugmansia), on the other hand, belong to the deciduous potted plants and can also be hibernated in the dark.

The fuchsia belongs to the evening primrose family

Exotic plants include the laurel family (Lauraceae), palm family (Arecaceae), and citrus plants (Citrus) of the rue family (Rutaceae). Especially the exotic plants don’t like it too dark in winter but can tolerate higher temperatures.

In general, however, the same applies to all three groups: The lower the temperature during hibernation, the better they can be hibernated and the less likely problems will occur.

Summary: The 3 groups of potted plants

  • Evergreen potted plants: Need light and cool in winter.
  • Deciduous potted plants: Can also winter in the dark, like it cool.
  • Exotic, evergreen tub plants: Need a lot of light even in winter, tolerate slightly higher temperatures.

When should potted plants be winterized?

There is no one right date for moving to the winter quarters, as temperatures fluctuate every year. Thus, in one year it can be too cold outside from October onwards, while the following year is much milder and the plants feel comfortable outside until November. For the wintering of all potted plants, the rule of thumb is: as short as possible in the winter quarters, but as long as necessary.

Most plants can tolerate longer cold phases of 5 to 10 °C. If the temperature drops below this, the plants should be moved to their wintering quarters. More cold-tolerant plants such as myrtle (Myrtus communis), woolly medlar (Eriobotrya), or star jasmine, but also laurel (Laurus nobilis) or oleander (Nerium oleander), can tolerate temperatures of 0 to 5 °C as long as it does not freeze. Most exotic or Mediterranean plants prefer temperatures above 10 °C, so they should be wintered in earlier.When should potted plants be winterized

The right location for wintering indoors

The choice of the location depends on the plant itself, there is no such thing as the perfect location for all plants together. However, it applies equally to all plants:

The cooler it is, the darker it can be, and the warmer it is, the more light is needed.

Various rooms are suitable for wintering indoors, such as a winter garden, a bright, unheated cellar, the garage, the staircase, an unheated adjoining room, a greenhouse that is unused in winter, or a frost-free, bright orangery. Less suitable are the living rooms, because it is much too warm for almost all plants.

The high temperatures stimulate active plant growth, but this is in turn inhibited by too little light. The plant cannot do enough photosynthesis and therefore develops so-called “horny instincts”. These are long, thin, soft shoots that are supposed to promote photosynthesis.

For the gardener, they are however comparable with a cry for help since the plant would rather be brought to a cooler place. In addition, because of their soft consistency, horny shoots are a favorite food for pests. In addition to light, the plants also need sufficient humid air, so they should be aired daily.

Evergreen plants like it especially bright, even in winter. They should therefore be placed near the windows. Deciduous plants, on the other hand, need less light, since they do little or no photosynthesis due to the lack of leaves. For example, the angel trumpet or the fuchsia can also be wintered in dark rooms if the temperature there is so low that the plant cannot sprout.potted plants be winterized

The right location for wintering indoors

The choice of the location depends on the plant itself, there is no such thing as the perfect location for all plants together. However, it applies equally to all plants:

The cooler it is, the darker it can be, and the warmer it is, the more light is needed.

Various rooms are suitable for wintering indoors, such as a winter garden, a bright, unheated cellar, the garage, the staircase, an unheated adjoining room, a greenhouse that is unused in winter, or a frost-free, bright orangery.

Less suitable are the living rooms, because it is much too warm for almost all plants. The high temperatures stimulate active plant growth, but this is in turn inhibited by too little light. The plant cannot do enough photosynthesis and therefore develops so-called “horny instincts”. These are long, thin, soft shoots that are supposed to promote photosynthesis.

For the gardener, they are however comparable with a cry for help, since the plant would rather be brought to a cooler place. In addition, because of their soft consistency, horny shoots are a favorite food for pests. In addition to light, the plants also need sufficient humid air, so they should be aired daily.

Evergreen plants like it especially bright, even in winter. They should therefore be placed near the windows. Deciduous plants, on the other hand, need less light, since they do little or no photosynthesis due to the lack of leaves. For example, the angel trumpet or the fuchsia can also be wintered in dark rooms if the temperature there is so low that the plant cannot sprout.

Evergreen plants need a lot of light and a cool location even in winter

Exotic plants are also used to higher temperatures in winter because of their origin. Thus, hibiscus (Hibiscus), beautiful mallow (Abutilon), ornamental banana (Ensete ventricosum), date palm (Phoenix), or club lily (Cordyline) can also be housed in moderately heated rooms if they are allowed to stand by the window.

The windows should be clean and curtains should be pushed aside to let more light into the room. Only direct heating proximity should be avoided. The dry, warm heating air favors the spread of pests. For this reason, it is necessary to check the plants for pest infestation before wintering and take the necessary countermeasures.

Tip: Brown edges on the leaves can be an indication of possible pest infestation, but also indicate that the air humidity is too low.

The right winter protection for potted plants in the garden

In mild regions, robust plants such as laurel or oleander can be wintered outdoors or on the balcony; they can tolerate brief cold spells of -5 °C without any problems. Olive trees, figs, or vines can also be wintered outside.

Many plants benefit from having fir branches or similar filling material inserted between branches close to the ground. For example, the grafting point of roses (pink) is protected or additional protection is provided for garden hydrangeas (Hydrangea macrophylla) which are susceptible to frost.

For proper winter protection, the pot should be placed on a piece of polystyrene to keep out ground frost. The drainage of excess water must be guaranteed, otherwise, root rot may occur. In addition, the tub and plant should be wrapped in a hemp or jute bag to protect them from cold winds and low temperatures.

Especially with large potted plants such as camellias (Camellia japonica), wrapping the pot and the entire plant with bast mats helps very well. If you have more than one potted plant, they can be put together for mutual protection. A location along the wall of the house provides additional protection and uses the heat radiated from the house.

Properly packaged and protected by a wall, some plants can winter outside

For evergreen potted plants such as dwarf rhododendrons, azaleas, and camellias, a location without a lot of direct sunlight should definitely be chosen. If there are too much sunlight and simultaneous frost, there is a risk of “freeze-dryness”: the plants are stimulated by sunlight to photosynthesize and perspire water in the process.

In frost, however, the absorption of water from the partially frozen soil in the pot is very limited. As a result, the evergreen plants suddenly leave their leaves hanging. With a less bright location, the otherwise robust plants are protected from frost drought and can survive even sub-zero temperatures.

Make Potted Plants Winterproof: The Right Care

Tub plants that are well wrapped up and winter in the garden are usually very easy to care for: they should be regularly checked for frost damage in winter to improve winter protection if necessary. Watering or fertilizing is usually not necessary, only some evergreen plants might need some water occasionally in particularly dry winters.

If the plant pots are moved to a frost-free quarter over the winter, the pots should be allowed to fall dry as far as possible, this prevents root rot on the one hand and makes transport to the winter quarters easier on the other. Before transport, the tub should be cleaned and leaves and plants remain removed. This will prevent pest infestation. If the plants have already grown particularly large, a moderate cut can be made.

However, the large cut should be waited until spring, before budding in February, as the cuts heal better at the beginning of vegetation. How much and which shoots are cut depends again on the plant. The annual wood must be preserved in plants that bear flowers on it. Sick or damaged shoots should be removed in any case.

During hibernation, plants in winter quarters are undemanding. It is sufficient to water them a little once a week. However, watering should only be done when the soil is superficially dry. If you are not sure, it is better to wait a few more days before watering, because almost all plants survive short dry periods better than too much moisture.

In addition, the rooms should be aired regularly. This lowers potential pest pressure and prevents dry edges on the leaves caused by heating air. Pests can spread quickly between the closely spaced plants in the winter quarters, so regular checks for pest infestation are very important. In this way, quick and sustainable action can be taken in case of a possible infestation.

Dry heating air is a common problem with light and warm wintered plants

Tip: A common problem with exotics that winter in light and warm weather is dry heating air. It not only ensures dry leaf edges but also promotes thrips and spider mites. It is therefore essential that you spray the wintered exotics regularly with water or place bowls filled with expanded clay and water near the plant – these evaporate water and thus keep the air humidity high.

Winterizing Potted Plants: First Fertilization After Hibernation

When spring finally approaches, deciduous plants begin to grow roots hidden in the ground before the first leaves sprout. In this case, it makes sense to support the plant with a primarily organic fertilizer.

Even evergreen and exotic plants gradually begin to put energy back into their growth, both in the roots and the upper parts of the plant. This means a high energy expenditure for the plant. Our nitrogen-rich organic indoor and green plant fertilizer strengthens the microbial soil life and stimulates root and leaf growth at the beginning.

The organic liquid fertilizer can be ideally administered with the irrigation water, as the nutrients are distributed throughout the tub and can be absorbed by the roots. Later on, a special fertilizer suitable for the plant should be used to supply it with the best possible nutrients.

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