Potted plants have slightly different needs than the same plants in the bed. This doesn’t just apply to regular watering and care. Special measures and precautions must also be taken for successful wintering.
How can you properly overwinter potted plants?
In order to overwinter potted plants successfully, hardy plants should be left outside, root balls should be protected from frost and sensitive species should be placed in frost-free or moderately warm winter quarters. Evergreen plants require bright light, while deciduous species can overwinter in darker areas.
Which plants can overwinter outside?
Only hardy potted plants are allowed to overwinter outside. The harsher the climate in your area, the more likely the plants need additional protection or a frost-free winter quarters so that the sensitive roots do not freeze.
How do I overwinter sensitive plants?
The more sensitive a plant is, the warmer it has to overwinter; for very heat-loving species, temperatures of at least 10 °C to 15 °C may be required. It is essential that these plants be moved to appropriate winter quarters in good time before night temperatures fall below this limit.
The lighting conditions in the winter quarters depend on the type of potted plants you have. Evergreen plants should definitely overwinter in a bright place; they need light and water all year round. So remember to water your plants adequately.
If, on the other hand, your potted plants are deciduous species, then the winter quarters can be dark and usually rather cool. These plants need little to no water in winter, although for some varieties the root ball must not dry out completely.
The most important things in brief:
- only overwinter hardy plants outside
- be sure to protect root balls from frost
- Do not prune until spring if the winter is frosty
- overwinter sensitive potted plants frost-free or moderately warm
- be sure to bring it to winter quarters in good time, the more sensitive the plant, the sooner
- evergreen plants overwinter brightly
- deciduous plants overwinter quietly in the dark
Tip
For most potted plants, temperatures between + 5 °C and + 10 °C in the winter quarters are sufficient.
