Hibernate potted plants: location & procedure

Which plants can be overwintered in the tub and when should they move to their winter quarters? Here you can find out everything about overwintering potted plants.

For many people, potted plants in the garden offer the opportunity to cultivate exotic or Mediterranean plants. However, our cold winters give many plants a hard time. Read here which places are suitable as winter quarters and how to properly care for potted plants during their hibernation.

Overwintering potted plants: Which plants have which requirements?

Container plants to be overwintered can be roughly divided into three groups: evergreen plants, deciduous plants and exotic plants, the latter mostly also seen as evergreen plants can become.

You ask on the one hand different requirements to the temperature and light conditions in the winter quarters. On the other hand, various problems can arise if the location is not chosen appropriately.

To the evergreen plants include, for example, myrtle plants (Myrtaceae) such as the cylinder brush (Callistemon) or dogbane plants (Apocynaceae) such as star jasmine (Trachelospermum jasminoides). They depend on plenty of light and yet low temperatures during their hibernation.

Evening primrose plants (Onagraceae) such as fuchsia (fuchsia) or nightshades (Solanaceae) such as the angel's trumpet (Brugmansia) belong to the deciduous potted plants and can also be overwintered in the dark.

To the exotic plants include the laurel family (Lauraceae), palm trees (Arecaceae) and citrus plants (citrus) of the rue family (Rutaceae). The exotic plants in particular do not like it too dark in winter, but can tolerate higher temperatures.

In general, however, the following applies to all three groups: the lower the temperature during hibernation, the better they can be hibernated and the less likely problems will arise.

Summary: The 3 groups of potted plants

• Evergreen potted plants: Need it bright and as cool as possible in winter
• Deciduous potted plants: Can also hibernate in the dark, like it cool
• Exotic evergreen pot plants: Need a lot of light even in winter, tolerate slightly higher temperatures

When should you winterize potted plants?

There is no one right date for moving to the winter quarters, as the temperatures fluctuate every year. So one year it can be too cold outside as early as October, while the following year is much milder and the plants feel comfortable outside until November. The rule of thumb for overwintering all potted plants is: as short as possible in the winter quarters, but as long as necessary.

Most plants tolerate longer cold periods of 5 to 10 °C. If the temperature falls below this, the move to the winter quarters should take place. More cold-tolerant plants such as myrtle (Myrtus communis), loquat (Eriobotrya) or star jasmine, but also laurel (Laurus nobilis) or oleander (Nerium oleander), tolerate temperatures from 0 to 5 °C as long as it does not freeze. Most exotic or Mediterranean plants prefer temperatures above 10°C, so they should be wintered earlier.

The right location for wintering indoors

The choice of location depends on the plant itself, there is no perfect location for all plants together. But it applies equally to all plants:

The cooler it is, the darker it can be and the warmer it is, the more light is needed.

Various rooms are suitable for wintering in the house, such as a conservatory, a bright, unheated cellar, the Garage, the stairwell, an unheated adjoining room, a greenhouse that is not used in winter or a frost-free, bright one orangery. The living rooms are less suitable, as it is much too warm for almost all plants. The high temperatures stimulate active growth of the plants, which in turn is inhibited by too little light. The plant cannot carry out sufficient photosynthesis and therefore forms so-called "horny shoots". These are long, thin, soft shoots designed to promote photosynthesis. For the gardener, however, they are akin to a cry for help, as the plant would rather be moved to a cooler location. In addition, the Geiltriebe are a favorite food for pests because of their soft consistency. In addition to light, the plants also need sufficiently moist air, which is why they should be ventilated every day.

Evergreen plants also like it particularly bright in winter. They should therefore be placed near the windows. Deciduous plants, on the other hand, require less light because they have little or no photosynthesis due to the lack of leaves. For example, the angel's trumpet or the fuchsia can also be overwintered in dark rooms if the temperature there is so low that the plant cannot sprout.

Exotic plants are also used to higher temperatures in winter because of their origin. So can hibiscus (Hibiscus), Flowering Maple (Abutilon), ornamental banana (Enset ventricosum), date palm (Phoenix) or club lily (Cordyline) can also be housed in moderately heated rooms if they are allowed to stand by the window. The panes should be clean and curtains pushed aside to let more light into the room. Only direct proximity to the heating should be avoided. The dry, warm heating air promotes the spread of pests. Therefore, you should definitely check the plants for pest infestation before wintering and take the necessary countermeasures.

tip: Brown edges on the leaves can be an indication of a possible pest infestation, but also indicate insufficient humidity.

The right winter protection for potted plants in the garden

In mild regions, robust plants such as laurel or oleander can be overwintered outdoors or on the balcony; they tolerate brief cold temperatures of -5 °C without any problems. Olive trees, figs or grapevines can also be overwintered outside. Many plants benefit from putting fir branches or similar filling material between the branches that are close to the ground. For example, with roses (pink) the grafting site protected or for frost-prone garden hydrangeas (Hydrangea macrophylla) created an additional protection.

For proper winter protection, the tub should be placed on a piece of Styrofoam to keep ground frost at bay. It is important that the drainage of excess irrigation water is guaranteed, otherwise root rot can occur. In addition, the tub and plant should be wrapped in a hemp or jute sack to protect them from cold wind and low temperatures. Especially with large potted plants such as camellias (Camellia japonica) wrapping the pot and the entire plant with raffia mats helps a lot. If you have more than one container plant, they can be put together to protect each other. A location along the wall of the house provides additional protection and uses the heat radiated from the house.

For evergreen pot plants such as dwarf rhododendrons, azaleas and camellias, a location without much direct sunlight should be chosen. If there is too much sun and frost at the same time, there is a risk of "frost drought": The plants are stimulated by the sunlight to carry out photosynthesis and transpire water in the process. In frost, however, the water absorption from the partially frozen soil in the pot is severely restricted. As a result, the evergreen plants suddenly drop their leaves. With a less bright location, the otherwise robust plants are protected from frost drought and can also survive sub-zero temperatures.

tip: It's not just your potted plants that need to be protected from the winter. You should also include your remaining winterizing the garden. We will explain to you how best to do this.

Making potted plants winter-proof: the right care

Container plants that are well wrapped up in the garden over the winter are usually very easy to care for: they should be opened regularly in winter frost damage be examined in order to improve the winter protection if necessary. Watering or fertilizing is usually not necessary, only some evergreen plants might need a little water occasionally during particularly dry winters.

If the planters are placed in a frost-free area over the winter, the buckets should be as far as possible Allow to dry out, which on the one hand prevents root rot and on the other hand makes it easier to transport to the winter quarters easier. Before transport, the tub should be cleaned and leaves and plant debris removed. This is how you prevent a pest infestation. If the plants have already grown particularly large, a moderate cut can be carried out. However, you should wait until spring before budding in February before making the big cut, as the cuts heal better when the vegetation begins. How much and what shoots are cut, in turn, depends on the plant. It is particularly important that the annual wood is preserved in plants that have flowers on it. Diseased or damaged shoots should always be removed.

During the hibernation, the plants in the winter quarters are undemanding. A little watering once a week is enough. However, you should only water when the soil is superficially dry. If you are not sure, it is better to wait a few more days before watering, as almost all plants survive a short drought better than too much moisture.

In addition, the rooms should be aired regularly. This reduces potential pest pressure and prevents dry edges on the leaves caused by heating air. Pests can spread quickly between the plants that are close together in the winter quarters, so regular checks for pest infestations are very important. In the event of a possible infestation, action can be taken quickly and sustainably.

Tip: A common problem with exotic animals that have been wintered bright and warm is the dry heating air. It not only ensures dry leaf edges, but also promotes infestation with thrips and spider mites. Therefore, be sure to spray the wintered exotic species regularly with water or set with expanded clay and Water-filled trays near the plant - these evaporate water and thereby keep the air humidity high.

Winter out potted plants: First fertilization after hibernation
Finally, when spring approaches, deciduous plants begin to grow roots hidden in the soil before the first leaves sprout. Here it makes sense to support the plant with a primarily organic fertilizer. Even evergreen and exotic plants are gradually starting to put energy into their growth again, both in the roots and in the upper parts of the plant. This means that the plant uses a lot of energy. Through our nitrogen-rich Plantura organic indoor and green plant fertilizer the microbial life in the soil is strengthened and root and leaf growth is stimulated at the beginning. The organic liquid fertilizer can ideally be administered with the irrigation water, as the nutrients can be distributed throughout the bucket and absorbed by the roots. Later, a special fertilizer appropriate for the plant should be used to provide it with the best possible care.

Carrying heavy planters back and forth in autumn and spring can be exhausting. In our special article you can do everything hardy palm species for your garden, who also enjoy the winter outdoors.