Chances are, some tropical and perennial plants are too tender to last the winter outside in your climate. This requires letting them come in for the winter months, but they need more specific care than that. You don’t need a greenhouse or any special equipment to overwinter these tender plants, but you do need to know how to give them the best chance at thriving. Here’s how.
1. Take Advantage of Sunny Windows
The easiest way to provide for the needs of your tender perennials is to place them in a bright, warm, sunny window. Put them on the window sill or right next to the window where they’ll get plenty of light. If you haven’t overwintered a particular plant before, you might want to give it the priority location until you know more about what it can handle. Use an east, west, or south-facing window.
2. Time it Right
Bring your tropical or perennial plants indoors before the first frost. If you like, you can cut larger plants back before moving them to make more room and slow down winter growth.
3. Check Frequently for Disease
Many experts recommend starting out by putting your plants into a shady spot for a week or two, before you bring them inside. However, you may choose to skip this step and just keep a close eye out for any suspicious changes that indicate disease. In either case, make sure your timing will allow you to get them indoors before frost hits.
4. Sensible Ongoing Care
Other than the right location, care for your overwintering plants the same way you’d care for your other plants. Water them when they seem dry, and use any specific steps you know about from keeping them outside in summer. You’ll also want to turn them 1/4 of the way around every few weeks, so they don’t get lopsided by reaching for the sun. Tropicals may suffer in the dry indoor air, so be ready to mist them regularly. If your plants seem to struggle to get enough light, try supplementing them with grow lights from Amazon.
Once all frost danger has passed, you can move your plants outside. But you’re probably better off to start with a shady spot for about a week, then gradually moving them into the sun.
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