Written By: Tianna Mair
Edited By: Colleen Haridass
Designed By: Sophia
Published By: Miriam Alonge Wato
What is overwintering?
Overwintering is the process of bringing your outdoor plants indoors for the colder seasons, allowing them to continue their growth and harvest for the next season.
Some plants that are commonly overwintered are:
- Geraniums
- Ferns
- Peppers
- Beans
- Roses
- Hibiscus
Although these plants may be more popular, any plant you have outside that is in a small enough pot to bring indoors can be overwintered.
Benefits of overwintering
The biggest benefit of overwintering your plants is that they continue to grow during seasons when pest problems are low, or overall absent. It also may mean that the harvest season will last longer due to them maturing around spring/summer just as other plants are just seedlings.
How to overwinter:
Step One: Bring your plant inside
Get all of your plants you are planning to overwinter and place them indoors in a dry environment with the temperature between 7-15℃.
Step Two: Clean up your plants
Grab a clean disinfected sharp pair of scissors and cut off any dead/dying parts of your plant.
Instead of the plant trying to heal the wilting parts, this will allow more healthy growth to occur.
Next, check the topsoil (the first inch of soil). Is it still in good condition? Are there bugs? Mould? If it looks like it needs a change, take some of that soil off and refresh it with some new soil. Next up, check for pests. There can be things called spider mites that hide under the leaves, and other pests that fly around your plant. If you see any, specifically identify what they are and create a spray to the specific needs of your plant.
Step Three: Let your plants rest
After the cleaning process, your plant has gone through a lot of movement and change. Let your plant rest for a bit, allow it to acclimate to its new surroundings and heal the parts that have been cut off. Try to avoid any strong temperature fluctuations and water as usual. Other than that, your plant should be all set up for the winter!
In conclusion, overwintering can be a great way to keep your plants alive and healthy for the next harvest season. If done correctly your plant should be thriving!
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Works Cited
“Overwintering Plants: How to Overwinter Plants Geranium Hibiscus Begonia.” The Old Farmer’s Almanac, https://www.almanac.com/how-overwinter-plants. Accessed 20 October 2022.
Pleasant, Barbara. “8 Rules for Overwintering Plants in a Garage or Cellar.” GrowVeg.com, 5 November 2020, https://www.growveg.com/guides/8-rules-for-overwintering-plants-in-a-garage-or-basement/. Accessed 20 October 2022.