The busy Lieschen originally comes from Africa, but it reacts sensitively to locations in full sun with corresponding midday heat. There are various myths about the lifespan of this plant, which make it necessary to take a closer look at the facts.
Is Busy Lieschen hardy?
The busy Lieschen is not hardy, it reacts sensitively to cold. In order to be cultivated for several years, it must be brought indoors before temperatures fall below 10 degrees Celsius and overwintered in a bright place that is indirectly lit by daylight at 10 to 20 degrees Celsius.
Theory and practice of balcony plants
Like many other plants with quite exotic regions of origin, the busy Lieschen is particularly popular as a grateful permanent bloomer in the balcony box or as a potted plant on the terrace. The young plants of these popular plant species are often relatively cheap to get in spring, so new plants are planted in the planters every year. However, this does not necessarily mean that balcony flowers are always annual plants. However, many balcony owners and hobby gardeners shy away from the effort of overwintering because it requires a certain amount of work and space.
The basic site conditions for the busy Lieschen
Basically, the busy Lieschen is one of the perennial plants that can also be cultivated for several years. The location outdoors or on the balcony should meet the following criteria:
- not too sunny
- not completely shady
- as protected as possible against rain and wind
Since the busy Lieschen reacts very sensitively to cold, the plants should only be planted out in spring after the Ice Saints. Dying plants and falling leaves can be a sign of disease in busy Lizzies, but it often has something to do with incorrect watering or other factors.
The busy Lieschen overwintered successfully
In order to successfully overwinter the Busy Lieschen, you should bring it indoors before the average outdoor temperatures drop well below 10 degrees Celsius. These plants cannot tolerate dark winter quarters; they should be kept as bright as possible in the house in a place that is indirectly lit by daylight. Rooms where the temperatures are consistently between 10 and 20 degrees Celsius are ideal. During the so-called winter rest of the plants, they should not be fertilized and watered more sparingly.
Tip
If you don't want to go through the hassle of overwintering, you can let the plants bloom in the garden until the first frost in autumn. You can carefully collect the seeds that have matured up to this point from the capsules of this balsam and use them for propagation the following year.
