Many hobby gardeners only cultivate the Busy Lieschen as an annual and replant it every year in the garden or on the balcony. The perennial flowering plant, which comes from Africa, can also be overwintered as a perennial plant.
How do I properly overwinter busy Lizzies?
In order for busy lizards to overwinter successfully, they must be brought to a bright winter quarters with temperatures above 10 degrees Celsius. Water sparingly and do not fertilize during winter rest. Plant out again in the spring after the Ice Saints.
Important factors for overwintering the busy Lizzie
Various factors can damage or at least weaken the busy Lieschen during overwintering:
- wintering too late
- Pest Infestation
- planting out too early outdoors
While some palm trees and citrus plants can stay outdoors until the first frosts, the sensitive hard-working Lieschen should be brought indoors when average temperatures are below 10 degrees Celsius. In the spring, planting should never come before the Ice Saints in the garden calendar. As a rule, the busy lizards are not often affected by diseases and pests. However, by taking a close look at each individual plant, you can ensure that pests such as aphids or the red spider do not multiply in the winter quarters.
The ideal winter quarters and the perfect winter care
A basic requirement for overwintering is the brightest possible winter quarters for the busy Lieschen. Although it does not have to be a regularly heated room at room temperature, the average temperature should not be permanently below 10 degrees Celsius. Bright hallways, winter gardens or stairwells are ideal. You should not fertilize the plants during the hibernation period that automatically occurs due to the shorter times of day for the busy Lieschen. In addition, watering should also be limited to a relatively economical level.
Propagate busy lizards over the winter
The winter can be used to easily propagate the busy Lizzies yourself. Not only can you grow the plants from seeds, but you can also root cuttings indoors. To do this, put the head cuttings cut in autumn into pots with permeable planting substrate. Keep them evenly moist; this is even easier with a plastic bag (€4.00 on Amazon) placed over it. After about 3 to 4 weeks, the cuttings should have formed their first roots so that you can remove the bags from the pots.
Tip
Since the Busy Lieschen is non-toxic, it can be left over the winter on the windowsill without any concerns.
