One of the best way to keep your annuals over winter is by get them indoors before the frost hits . If you have a nursery or ample window infinite , this project becomes easier . However , if you have limited windows or no access to a nursery , assume cuttings of your yearbook and rooting them on your windowsill can be a big alternative .
First , let ’s let the cat out of the bag about bringing the entire plant indoors . Before the first Robert Frost , cautiously dig up your annuals , making sure to admit as much of the root musket ball as potential . softly shake off any spare soil and place the plant in a suitable container with well - run out soil . Water the industrial plant good and point it in a location with promising , collateral sun .
If you have a nursery , make certain the temperature inside remains above freezing . Provide enough lighting and persist in to irrigate the flora as needed . With proper fear , many yearly can survive the winter in a greenhouse and be quick to be plant alfresco again in the springiness .
For those without a nursery or ample windowpane quad , taking cuttings is a great option . get down by selecting respectable stem from your annual . ensure the fore are not too woody or too young , as they may not root successfully . Using clean and sharp pruning hook , cut the stems at a 45 - degree slant just below a leaf leaf node .
take away any leaves from the broken one-half of the stem , leaving a few at the top . This will aid reduce moisture loss and encourage root . Dip the cut remainder of the stem in root hormone powder or colloidal gel , if desired , to increase the chances of successful rooting .
Next , ready a small weed or container with a well - draining land mixture . Moisten the grunge slightly , making sure it is not waterlogged . Create a hole in the dirt using a pencil or your finger’s breadth , and carefully insert the cutting into the hollow , check that the leafless portion is buried in the soil .
Place the potted cuttings in a bright location , but avoid verbatim sunlight , as it can singe the tender thinning . haze over the cut with water to increase humidity and brood the pot with a open plastic bag or a little plastic domed stadium to make a mini greenhouse impression .
learn the cuttings on a regular basis for moisture and cloud them if the soil feel dry . After a few weeks , you should start to see new increase , indicating that the press clipping have successfully rootle . At this point , you could remove the plastic app and continue to care for the flora as you would any other houseplant .
It ’s worth noting that not all annuals are worthy for root from cutting off . Plants like Oxalis , for example , do not steady down well from cutting and are better off being grow from bulbs or tubers . However , many plebeian annuals such as petunias , geraniums , and flame nettle can be well propagated from cuttings .
Whether you have a greenhouse or circumscribed windowpane space , there are way to keep your annuals over winter . Bringing the intact plant life indoors or taking cuttings and root them on your windowsill are both feasible pick . With right maintenance and tending , you’re able to enjoy your annuals yr after yr , even in cold climates .
Caroline Bates
