Placed by doubts, amateur gardeners find themselves faced with wilted Bidens in late summer. Actually, the magnificent balcony flowers are too good to throw away. Can you overwinter broomsticks? This guide explains how and where to successfully get Biden's Goldmarie through the winter.
How can I care for and preserve Bidens in winter?
To overwinter Bidens successfully, you should prepare them in late summer, prune them, bring them to winter quarters in good time and choose a cool, bright location. Water sparingly and avoid fertilizer during wintering.
Bidens – hardy? No – perennial? Yes
In plant sales, Bidens are simply declared as annual balcony flowers. In fact, the permanent summer bloomers are extremely sensitive to frost, especially the picturesque Goldmarie with its drooping cascades of yellow flowers. In their tropical home regions, Bidens are highly valued as perennials with the floral power for perennial growth. This fact opens the door wide open for wintering behind glass. The following instructions explain step by step how to do it correctly.
Wintering Biden – step-by-step instructions
Early preparation prepares Biden for the winter behind glass. Other important criteria guarantee successful overwintering: the right time for clearing away, expert pruning and winter quarters with the perfect conditions. How to properly overwinter Bidens in 4 steps:
Preparation in late summer
At the end of September, the Bidens Blossom Festival is coming to an end. This preparatory work for wintering is already beginning:
- Pour Biden more sparingly in boxes and buckets
- Stop fertilizing flowers
Bidens are not allowed to move into winter quarters with dripping wet root balls. In order for the shoots to mature, the nutrient supply ends a few weeks before the end of the flowering period.
Pruning – prologue for the winter time
Pruning before wintering ensures compact, survivable growth behind glass. There probably won't be room for the epically long shoots of up to 3 meters in length in most rooms anyway. How to cut Bidens correctly:
- Best time: shortly before putting away
- Pruning tool: sharp, disinfected bypass secateurs
- Pruning: Cut the tendrils back by half
- Cleaning: remove wilted flowers and leaves
Concede Bidens in time
If temperatures fall below 15 degrees even at night, Bidens move to winter quarters. The next morning you can read the lowest temperature of the night on the minimum-maximum thermometer on the balcony or terrace.
Choose winter quarters
The general conditions in the winter quarters are crucial for the he althy overwintering of Biden's Goldmarie and other two-toothed birds. The location should be like this:
- Bright and sunny, preferably facing south, west or east
- Cool to slightly temperate, ideally with temperatures between 12° and 18° Celsius
Bidens cannot hibernate in the dark basement or cozy, warm living room. Winter gardens, greenhouses, hallways or bedrooms are perfect.
Care tips for the winter
Bidens stop growing in winter quarters. The water requirement is reduced accordingly. Allow the substrate to dry before watering the flowers. Still do not apply fertilizer. Weekly checks for pests such as spider mites and aphids are mandatory.
Tip
With this winter concept, you can successfully overwinter numerous frost-sensitive flower beauties. These include majestic potted plants, such as the magnificent Dipladenia with its beautiful varieties from the Mandevilla series.
