Most verbena species absolutely cannot tolerate frost or are at least extremely sensitive when temperatures fall below 0 °C. But with the right strategy, you can preserve your verbena plants for up to 3 years and get them through the winter.
How can I overwinter my verbena?
In order to overwinter verbena successfully, outdoor plants should be cut back, watered before frost begins and the root area covered with straw, leaves or brushwood. For potted plants: place them in a cool, bright, well-ventilated place, water sparingly and do not fertilize.
On the usefulness of overwintering verbena trees
Basically, it is not recommended to go to the trouble of overwintering frost-sensitive verbena plants. These plants bloom from summer to autumn and produce numerous seeds with which they like to reproduce independently.
How it works: Plants outdoors and in pots
With plants outdoors, proceed as follows:
- cut back to the ground in autumn
- water properly for the last time before the onset of the first frost
- Cover the root area with a thick blanket of straw (€37.00 on Amazon), leaves or brushwood
Potted plants on the balcony:
- place in a cool, bright and well-ventilated room such as the bedroom
- alternatively: place in a corner on the balcony, fill with foil or fleece, place a block of wood under the pot
- water sparingly over the winter (too much moisture increases the risk of fungal diseases and rot)
- do not fertilize
After overwintering
After the ice saints have passed in May, you can free your verbena from its frost protection coat in the garden and place the pot back on the balcony without any protection. If you forget in the fall, cut the shoots just above the ground.
Tips & Tricks
If you haven't decided yet, choose hardy verbena plants such as the Verbena hastata or Verbena officinalis species.
