The oleander, also known as 'rose laurel', is a typically Mediterranean plant that delights us with its beautiful flowers during the summer months. However, the plant is not necessarily easy to cultivate in our latitudes because oleander is not hardy.
How do I prepare my oleander for winter?
To make oleander winter-proof, you should place the pot on a thick Styrofoam or wooden base, wrap it with bubble wrap and wrap the shrub in gardening fleece. In winter, oleander needs a cool, frost-free and bright room with temperatures around 5 °C.
Oleander is only partially hardy
The flowering shrub is only partially hardy, i.e. H. It can tolerate a maximum (and only for a short time) of a maximum of minus five degrees Celsius. However, even this low temperature can cause the oleander to freeze - just a single night of slightly frosty temperatures is enough. For this reason, the plant should, if possible, overwinter under cold house conditions, i.e. cool (but frost-free) at around five degrees Celsius and bright. If necessary, the shrub can also survive the winter with little or even no light - for example in the basement or in a garage.
Winterproofing is not enough
Simply wrapping up oleander for winter and leaving it outside is unfortunately not enough. You might have success with this strategy in mild winters, but a single frosty night will negate your efforts. Therefore, always keep an eye on the weather forecasts and, if in doubt, move the oleander to its winter quarters. Until then, however, he can stay outside, wrapped up as warmly as possible. Place the pot on a thick Styrofoam or wooden base and wrap it with bubble wrap. Wrap the shrub itself in gardening fleece. Alternatively, sink the pot into the ground and pile up the oleander like a rose.
Pack up late, clear out early
Basically, oleander should be moved into winter quarters as late as possible and brought back outside as early as possible. In this way, the plant survives the winter better, because most plants look pretty worn out after the winter break and need a while to recover. Pruning is then often unavoidable, which can be problematic with oleander in terms of flowering - after all, the shrub mainly flowers on two-year-old shoots.
Tip
Prune oleander preferably in spring to eliminate winter damage. If necessary, the shrub can also be cut back before moving to winter quarters.