wintertime can experience like a tough metre for gardeners . I sleep with how heartbreaking it is to watch rime creep into your garden , endanger those ticklish outdoor plants you ’ve nurture all season . The good news ? Many of those plants do n’t have to be leave to the mercy of the cold . With a chip of care and planning , you’re able to bring your most vulnerable outdoor stunner indoors and keep them thriving until spring !
Overwintering is n’t just about saving your plants ; it ’s about giving yourself a minuscule slice of green during the darkest months . Whether you ’re working with tender perennials , tropical plants , or potted flowers , translate their specific needs is the key fruit to success . Let ’s research some try - and - unfeigned scheme to keep your plants happy , healthy , and quick to shine again when warmer conditions returns .
Acclimating Plants to Indoor Conditions
One of the most important step to successfully overwinter outdoor plants is acclimation . Outdoor consideration are very dissimilar from indoor environments , and a sudden shift can scandalize your industrial plant . Before bringing them inside , I wish to move my plant to a sheltered billet , like a porch or garage , for about a week . This aid them adjust to depressed abstemious grade and indoor temperatures gradually .
Once indoors , place your plants near a shiny windowpane , sooner one that faces south or east . Many tender outside plant , like geranium and flame nettle , fall from tropical or subtropical regions and need plenty of brightness to thrive . If natural light is n’t enough , consider supplementing with grow lights . Keep an center on humidness levels , too — most indoor spaces are much dry than the outdoors , particularly in wintertime . Grouping plants together or using a humidifier can work wonders !
Inspecting and Treating for Pests
It ’s such a bummer to get a wanted plant life indoors , only to discover it ’s host an USA of pest ! Before move plants inside , give them a thorough inspection . Check the undersides of folio , stems , and even the dirt surface for signs of insect like aphid , spider mites , and mealybugs . I ’ve learned the difficult way that even a tiny infestation can speedily spread to other indoor plant if leave untreated .
If you tell apart pest , treat the plant with insecticidal Georgia home boy or neem oil before bringing it indoors . For more stubborn infestation , you might need to repeat treatments over a few weeks . As an redundant precaution , isolate newly moved plant from your other houseplants for a brace of weeks . This quarantine full point ensures you do n’t accidentally introduce any undesirable Edgar Guest to your indoor garden .
Pruning and Cleaning Up Plants
Pruning is a crucial step in overwintering plants , but it can feel a little restrain . Trust me , though — your plants will thank you for it ! Start by dress away any dead or discredited leaves and stem . This not only makes the works look tidier but also reduces the risk of pests or diseases hitching a ride indoors . For larger plants like hibiscus or bougainvillea , cutting back ontogeny by a third can help them conserve zip during the winter month .
Cleaning up is n’t just about the flora itself — it ’s also about the tummy and soil . Remove any debris from the territory open , as this can entertain pests or fungus kingdom . I care to give the pots a quick rinse as well , peculiarly if they ’ve been outside all season . A little effort now will set the stage for a goodly , glad flora indoors .
Adjusting Watering Practices
One of the knavish parts of overwintering plants is getting the lacrimation right . out-of-door plants often need more urine because of wind , sun , and larger root word systems . Indoors , their needs convert dramatically , and overwatering can apace become a job . I ’ve learned ( sometimes the hard way ) to let the top inch of dirt ironical out before watering most plants .
Some plants , like succulents or Mediterranean herbs such as rosemary , favor even less body of water during winter . They ’re used to dry status in their aboriginal home ground and can rot if preserve too wet . Use pots with drainage holes to debar waterlogging , and always empty the dish antenna after tearing . It ’s all about finding the Libra — enough to keep them hydrous but not so much that they drown .
Choosing the Right Plants to Overwinter
Not every out-of-door plant life is a good prospect for overwintering , so opt wisely ! bid perennials like fuchsia , begonias , and caladium are excellent alternative because they ’re not dusty - hardy but can thrive indoors with the right care . tropic plants like palms and philodendrons are also worth save , especially since many are native to lush , humid regions and adapt well to indoor environments .
On the other hand , some plants , like annuals , are better left to finish their life cycle outdoors . While it ’s tempting to save everything , focus on the plants with the best chance of survival of the fittest will make your effort more rewarding . Keep in mind that incursive metal money should never be overwinter or run between surroundings , as they can cause ecologic problems if reintroduced outdoors .
Credit: Unsplash
credit: unsplash
Credit: Unsplash
credit: unsplash
Credit: Unsplash
