Overwintering Your Annuals: How to Save Them for Next Spring, by Down The Garden Path Podcast on YouTube. 21 min 56 s.
- Video length
- 21 min 56 s
- Time to do it
- 1 hour
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Steps
- 8
What you need
Steps
Pick a method per plant. Coleus and million bells root easily from cuttings, geraniums survive well as indoor plants or bare-root storage, and begonias and cigar plants store as dormant tubers.
Bring whole plants indoors before the first frost. Check the leaves and soil for insects, rinse the foliage, and place the pot in a bright window away from cold draughts and heat vents.
Water indoor plants sparingly all winter. Let the top of the soil dry out first, and keep the room cool rather than hot so growth stays slow and sturdy.
Take cuttings from healthy tips, about 7 to 10 cm long. Strip the lower leaves, dip the cut end in rooting hormone, and push it into moist potting mix.
Cover the cuttings with a clear bag or propagator lid to hold humidity. Keep them in bright, indirect light and open the bag briefly every few days to let air in.
For begonias and other tuberous plants, lift the tubers after the foliage dies back. Brush off the soil, let them dry for a few days, then store them in a paper bag in a cool, dark place.
To store geraniums bare-root, shake the soil off the roots and hang the plants in a paper bag in a cool, dark basement or garage. Soak and repot them in late winter.
Check stored plants and cuttings every few weeks. Remove anything soft or mouldy, water lightly if shrivelled, and pot up rooted cuttings in late winter for spring.
Tips and common mistakes
Overwatering is the most common winter killer, so water less than you think you need to.
Inspect plants closely before bringing them inside, or you will overwinter pests along with the plants.
Label every cutting with the plant name and date so you know what you have in spring.
Use sharp, clean pruners when taking cuttings and cut away from your fingers to avoid injury.
Questions
When should I bring annuals indoors?
Move them in before the first frost, ideally when nights start dropping near 5C. Plants settle in better if they have a week or two to adjust before the heat comes on.
Can I overwinter geraniums without keeping them growing?
Yes. Shake the soil from the roots, hang the plants in a paper bag in a cool, dark spot, and check them monthly. Soak the roots and pot them up again in late winter.
Why do my cuttings rot instead of rooting?
The mix is usually too wet or the air is too still. Use fresh potting mix, keep it barely moist, and open the plastic cover for a few minutes every few days.
This guide was drafted from the video's details and general task knowledge. It has not been checked against the full video. Check the video and relevant product instructions before following a procedure. Report a correction.
