The black-eyed Susan is a perennial climbing plant from Africa that is not hardy. In our country it is usually only grown as an annual because overwintering is a bit laborious. If you have enough space, you can definitely try to overwinter the plant.
How to overwinter a Black-eyed Susan?
To overwinter a black-eyed Susan successfully, you should bring the plant indoors in autumn, cut it back to 50 cm, check for pests and care for it at around 10°C. In spring, after the Ice Saints at the end of May, it can be planted out again.
Bring it home in the fall
As soon as the temperatures outside drop to less than eight degrees, it's time to bring the black-eyed Susan indoors.
Preparation for wintering
Cut the plant back to 50 centimeters. You can use the cut green shoots as cuttings for propagation.
Check the plant for diseases and pests and cut off all yellow and dried leaves.
Care during wintering
The ideal wintering temperature is ten degrees Celsius. Avoid strong temperature fluctuations.
During the winter, the black-eyed Susan needs little care:
- Watering sparingly
- Never let it dry out completely
- Do not fertilize
- Check regularly for pests
You can recognize a pest infestation when the leaves droop or turn yellow. If the infestation is severe, it is better to dispose of the climbing plant before the pests spread to all other plants in the house.
Do not plant before the end of May
The black-eyed Susans are only allowed to go outside again when night frosts are no longer expected. This is usually the case after the Ice Saints at the end of May.
Tips & Tricks
Make the Black-Eyed Susan brighter and a little warmer from February onwards. By pulling ahead, the flowers develop earlier. On warm days with more than eight degrees, you can put the climbing plant outside for a few hours.